The Girl Next Door
by WritenInTheStars23
Summary: She is loyal, kind, and smart. He is arrogant, selfish, and cunning. She makes him do things he has never done before, He annoys her to no end. He had never felt this way before, she has a secret. Will they fall in love in the midst of a war, Or will they be driven apart by their differences? :Disclaimer: HP & others are J.K Rowlings, all OC are mine. Rated M just in case.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

It was still so surreal. We had won. It has been two years but still we had won and we were some what at peace. Sure there were still the rouges, the fighters. But they were easily taken care of or destroyed.

The trials had started over a year and a half ago. All the most dangerous and easiest to convict were tried first. They were given two options, to give names of others who were not so easily convicted, along with evidence to prove the conviction, or to receive a fate worse then death. Some would give fake names which only prolonged them receiving the horrible fate.

There were some, though very few, that avoided the prison sentence. Their part in the war did not warrant any crime though they fought for the wrong cause. But it wasn't an easy process to go through.

First there had to be a substantial proof that they did not kill anyone, next was the witness testimonies. If they had even one person on our side of the cause convinced that they are not a threat to society, then that person would need to divulge their story to convince the counsel that the person on trial was not a threat. Then they were placed in a home with a family or another person that had been on the right side of the cause. They would be required to take a course for one year, the person or family that housed them making sure that they complete their studies. At the end of the year if they did not pass the finale course and final evaluation they would be sent away and imprisoned like the others. If they passed the course then they would receive their wand back and be placed back into society. Their past charges being cleared so not to be held against them.

I stand looking up at the double doors in front of me. Beyond these doors was where a hearing was about to take place for someone that I knew, well someone I use to know. His and my story was nothing special but I was probably going to be the final verdict on whether or not he was going to be kissed by a Dementor. But with the way things had ended between him and I, I was not sure how I could face him.

"I can do this." I say to myself confidently. I open the doors and step into the circular room. I knew this room very well. I had been to many trials before. There was order in this court room, there was tragedies as well, even I they were criminals. But The Wizengamot was very strict on the new laws passed. I had seen how strict the laws were, the unpleasant feeling floating over me.

"First case of the day Wizengamot verses Malfoy." Say The Minster of Magic. I hold my breath, my heart rate increasing in anticipation of seeing him.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I was finally old enough to play outside on my own without the supervision of my mother or father. I run out of the back entrance of our mansion and off the patio into the yard. I was wearing a light green sundress and matching dress shoes. My long black hair, that had a light green bow in it, few behind me as I run.

"Reyneen stay in the gardens!" I hear my name yell from the house. I stop and my deep ocean blue eyes look back to see if anyone was watching, but they wasn't. I start running again until I am in the center of the gardens. I look up at the mansion at the balcony doors that lead into my bedroom. It was facing east so I always was able to see sunrise something that was beautiful to watch especially from the balcony in the summer time.

I didn't watch it for long though, I was on a quest. For as long as I could remember when I looked out from my balcony I could see a field. It was a beautiful field that lead to the hills. But there was an opening between those hills. And right in the middle of those hills was a stream that ran through them. And at the side of the river was a great big willow tree. Beyond that and the hills there was something past it, I think it was another house. I hoped they had a little girl just like me and I could find a friend.

I didn't know to many little girls my age. My dad did however host dinner for a few of his friends at the Ministry. One of them Mr. and Mrs. Digory, they always brought their son Cedric, but he was three years older then me. For some reason he was always very nice to me but he was turning eleven this year and would be going to Hogwarts. He would probably forget about me. My father also invited over the Weasley's. They had a daughter that was a year younger then me, I really liked hanging out with her. But they were not able to come around as often anymore. Ginny had a lot of older bothers, one was my age, I think his name was Ron, he along with all the other boys stayed away from me most of the time.

I finally find the gate that separate our gardens from the lush green field. I smile and look back at the house to see if anyone was watching. I didn't see anyone at the windows so I run up to the gate. But I don't lift up the latch. No I knew my mother had the gate bewitched to let her know if I touched it. I close my eyes and remember what my grandmother had said. 'I just need to want it' I think to myself. I hold up my hand and I take a deep breath. I hear a click and open my eyes and the gate is slowly swinging open. I look back at the house to see I anyone was coming. There was no one and there were no alarms going off.

I smile and run past the threshold of the gate and into the field. I continue to run towards the tree. It seemed so close but far at the same time. From my balcony it seemed closer then on the ground. I hear the stream and I start to run along side it. It wasn't deep maybe went up to my knees. I laugh as I watch the fish swim along side me as I ran towards the tree.

The tree was much bigger then I thought it would be. Then again I had only ever seen it from my balcony. The willow tree was a beautiful green. I look back a my house, which was much closer then I remember it being and then move one of the long willow branches and enter to find the trunk. I smile as I start to climb on the roots sticking out of the ground.

This was more then I had ever imagined. It was my own secret place no one would ever find me here. I explore my new area. The tree trunk and roots were huge. Because the tree was so close to the stream one of the roots stuck out and bridged over the stream. I smile and climb on it I wanted to make it across. I steady myself on the root before putting one foot in front of the other. I felt very confident once I got half way over the root.

"Hey who are you?" I hear a voice behind me. I gasp as I turn around but before I could see who it was I lose balance and fall into the stream. Because the stream was not that deep it only got the bottom of my dress wet from my waist down. I get up and angerly stomp over to the tree and to the person that made me fall into the stream.

There was a boy standing at the base of the root that was going over the river right where I once was. He was a bit taller then me but didn't look much older then myself. He had very icy blue eyes, which were the exact opposite of my deep ocean blue ones, and like being opposite, he had sleeked back platinum blond hair. He had thin light pink lips and a thin face which held a snooty look like he was better then me. He looked me over and smirked at me.

"You horrible person you shouldn't startle someone that is trying to make it across that! What if the stream was deeper and I would have drowned. You would then have killed me! You are absolutely the worst person in the world." I say upset at the boy.

"That it a lot of accusations for someone you don't know, though you should know who I am." Says the boy with his smirk still plastered on his face. I sigh annoyed.

"I don't need to know who you are, that is not a very nice thing to do, and now that you have had you weird fun leave me and my tree alone." I say. His smirk changed as his eyebrows knitted together.

"Your tree? This is on my property! You are trespassing on my property." The boy says. I glare at him.

"No this is my parents property they own this half of the hill." I say defending my property.

"Well my Father says that we own this half of the hill he says gesturing to the opposite side of the tree.

"Wait so you and your family are the ones that live in the house I see from my balcony?" I ask.

"A house? I live in a mansion something built by my ancestors. Its the only place worthy enough for a Malfoy." He says.

"Gesh sorry, but that's great now I know that the creepy looking house is not haunted." I say knowing very well that it wasn't haunted, I just wanted to hurt his pride. The boy Malfoy glares at me.

"Mansion, not house and its not creepy. It keeps annoying girls like you away." The boy says. I walk up closer to him.

"You don't now very many girls do you?" I ask.

"Sure I do, my parents have me only associate with the best in the wizarding world, all other are below us, mainly half bloods or muggle borns. Which I am sure you are one since I have never seen you before. Though I am surprised my parents would let me live so close to your kind." He says I glare at him.

"My parents are pure bloods! And how dare you!" I say to him very angry. "Some of the greatest wizards and witches of all time were Muggle born, one very important example is Merlin! You are a stupid sheltered boy and I do not want anything to do with such a horrible person!" I say and turn to leave. I was not going to be around someone so mean. Before I could leave though the boy grabs my arm and stops me.

"Wait I am sorry if I upset you." The boy says then pulls his hand away from me quickly. I turn around and see a confused look on his face.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"I have never apologized to anyone before. I don't have to because everyone is wrong and I am right, except now, I didn't meant to upset you. I thought all pure bloods were the same, but your parents must be blood traitors and its not your fault that you were brought up wrong." He says.

"Your arrogance is annoying you know that. And as to how I have been brought up is none of your business." I say to the boy. I turn away from him to head back to my house. He was annoying me.

"So you give up? You have no fight in you? No wonder my mother doesn't want me to hang around such a wimp like you." He says leaning against the root that crosses the river. I turn around and glare and as I do the root he was leaning on moves and he falls back into the water. My eyes widen and I run over to the water and reach down to help him out.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to do that." I say as he grabs my hand and I help him out of the stream. He sits on one of the roots and it looks as though he snacked a sharp rock in the river and it had cut his leg deep.

"You made me rip my pants! My moms going to freak out!" He says angry.

"I'm sorry here let me see it." I offer he hesitates a moment but pulls up his pant leg. I look at it as the blood was starting to run down his leg. "I need you to trust me."

"You are insane! I am not going to trust you." He says. "And when my Father hears about this..."

"That you got beaten by a simple seven year old girl. Biased on your arrogance he is no better so he is not going to be proud of you for being beaten by a girl." I say. He glares at me. "Now just trust me for only a moment." I say. I close my eyes and placed my hand on the gash. I wanted it to be cleaned out and I wanted it to be healed a few moments later I hear the boy gasp. I open my eyes and pull my hand away to see his leg healed and the blood dispersed.

"How did you do that?" He asks me as he pulled his ripped pant leg down.

"My grandmother always said magic is easy, you just have to want it, and let yourself have it." I say. I place my hand over his pant leg and without having to close my eyes I watch as it mends itself and looks new like nothing had ever happened. The boy looks just a shocked as before.

"You can do magic without a wand?" He asks me. I shake my head no.

"No I can't always do it. Only when I really absolutely want it." I say. "Besides we all show magical ability before we go to school for it. I can't always control my magic." I back away from the boy.

"What is your name?" He asks me. I think for a moment did I really want to tell him?

"Why would you like to know?" I ask him. He rolls his eyes and gets off the branch.

"Just want to know who I am going to be stuck letting in my tree." He says.

"If you mean share 'your' tree, then my name is Reyneen, Reyneen Nethers, everyone calls me Rey though." I say with a small smile and holding out my hand. The boy takes it.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. My father has mentioned something about your family before. He doesn't like how your father and mother are sympathetic to the blood traitors." He says. I look at him confused.

"You mentioned it before but I have never heard that before, what is a blood traitor?" I ask him as I sit up on one of the roots. The boy Draco then began to explain what a blood traitor was. I frown. "They are just as filthy and disgusting as any muggle born."

"I am what you call a blood traitor then." I say to him. "I don't think that anyone should be judged based off of something they cannot control. I guess you and I cannot be friends then." I say.

"Who said I wanted to be friends with you?" He asks me.

"Well you are sharing the tree with me, I thought you would want to be friends." I say innocently.

"I can't be friends with you." he says.

"Why not?" I ask him.

"Because my father would never approve. I can only be friends with the children whose parents are friends with mine."

"Do you always do what your father tells you?" I ask curiously.

"And you do not?"

"I wouldn't be here if I did." I say with a slight smirk. I get up off the root and start to head to my house.

"So I will see you here tomorrow?" The boy asks me. I smirk then turn to look at him.

"Sorry I have music lessons tomorrow, but I am available the next day. I will see you then." I say. He turns away from me and I him and we both head back to our separate homes.

* * *

It's funny, how quickly you make friends as a child. That summer Draco and I became friends despite our parents not liking each other, neither of our parents knew of our friendship though. We spent as much time as we could around that stream and tree. Sometimes we would play games, wizard and muggle games, which Draco came to like after he stopped complaining about them. He taught me how to ride a broom, which he had to sneak away from his parents. I wasn't as good at it as him but I was an okay flier.

The night before September first came and my dad held a dinner to see Cedric off to school. That night Cedric had promised he would write to me at least once a month to tell me how Hogwarts was. Apparently he viewed me as a very good friend.

Autumn came and as the seasons started to change it was becoming harder to convince my mother to let me go outside every day or every other day. Draco and I started to see each other less and less. We did finally figure out which room was each others. We were to far in order to see each other from them but we did invent a way to communicate by candlelight. It was something that him and I had invented together. Winter was lonely, I did general studies with my mother. I didn't get to see Draco at all. The snow was deep and I had no way to get to the tree.

When spring arrived I was excited to head outside once again, I hadn't seen Draco all winter. I run to the tree and wait for Draco to arrive. I remove my shoes and sit on the root stretching over the stream and stick my feet in the water.

"Rey?" I hear. I look over and smile as I see Draco emerging from his side of the tree. I get up and balance myself on the root and jump down when I get to the shore and hug him. He hesitates or a moment before hugging me quickly and pulling away.

The spring went by quickly and before I knew it it was June fourth, the day before Draco's ninth birthday. I had his present for him. I had gone to with my parents to Diagon Alley and used what allowance I had received over the winter to buy him elbow and knee guards and gloves for Quidditch. They had the ability to adjust to the players age and size so that they were reusable year after year, as long as they were properly cared for.

"Draco?" I ask as I come up to the tree he was sitting with his back to me. I smile and sit next to him with my parcel with his present in it. He looks at me and smiles. "Happy Birthday!" I say and hand him the present. He takes it and opens it up.

"I figured you can use them now to practice and in a few years when we go to Hogwarts, you can use them for Quidditch." I say.

"Thank you Rey. It will go great with the new broom my father got me." He says. But something was wrong. I could tell.

"You don't like the present do you?" I ask a bit worried.

"What? Yes I do like it, I just think, my parents are getting suspicious." He says.

"Of what?" I ask.

"Of where I am going. My father particularly we are going to need to be more careful." He says I nod my head. We spend the rest of our time together playing games that we had the summer previous, particularly the ones that Draco liked.

"Draco."And unfamiliar chilling voice says from behind me. We were currently running in the field. Both Draco and I froze in spot. Draco slowly turned around from in front of me looking at the unfamiliar person behind me. In a second my father pops a few yard next to me. But he wasn't looking at me he was looking at the figure behind me. I turn around to look at who everyone else was staring at. It was a very tall man with long platinum hair and ice blue eyes like Draco's. I knew by just those two features he was Draco's dad.

"Hello Malfoy, Any particular reason why you are on my property?" My father asks. His face was calm but his eyes looked scary. He comes and step between myself and Draco's father, Draco hadn't moved from his spot that was now behind my father and I.

"I am here to collect my son. Draco." Mr. Malfoy says in his cold voice. I move closer to my father.

"He isn't harming anyone, he is welcome to stay as long as he wants." My father says.

"He will be coming with me and now. My son will no longer associate with trash like your daughter." He says referring to me. It hurt really bad when he called me that I could feel my eyes watering and then a tear rolling down my cheek. "Draco. Come." His father says. Draco walks over to his father, he looks back at me. "Say good bye Draco, this is the last time you will ever see that filth again." His father says. But before Draco could say anything his father dragged him away by his collar. I could feel the tears falling freely now. My father gets on his knees in front of me and hugs me and I hug him tightly and cry.

"Shh" he whispers trying to comfort me. "Rey I don't want you to take what he said to heart. He is a horrible bitter man. You understand me?" He asks me as he pulls out of the hug. I nod my head but cannot stop crying. "Hunny why are you crying?"

"Because, Draco is going to get in trouble and so am I." I say my father rubs my arms comfortingly.

"Draco, may get in trouble yes. But I am not mad at you or upset. You did break your mothers rules of going outside the garden, but you lost your friend I don't think there is any greater punishment then that." My father says.

"Will I ever see him again?" I ask.

"You will some day, but when you do, I feel he is not going to be the same person you know how." My dad says sadly. He wipes the tears from my face and stands up. He takes my hand in mine and we walk back to our house.


	3. Chapter 2

**I would like to take a quick moment to thank those who have reviewed so far. I love all feedback! I just want to let everyone know the first, second, and third year are probably only going to be a chapter a year, sorry if it seems rushed but I really don't have any solid ideas for those years, and i know from experience with reading that if you put to much filler to get to the point you can lose a reader. I hope that you enjoy the chapter and please do not hesitate to review, all are welcome!**

* * *

Chapter 2:

Platform nine and three quarters. I had heard so much about the long train ride and Hogwarts from Cedric's letters, but the train seemed more beautiful and bigger in person. The traffic was how he had described it though, very busy. I had received my letter in mid-July and begged my mom to take me to Diagon Alley the instant I received it, I hadn't even opened the letter. When I first got there I wanted to get my wand. The wand that chose me is made of Cedar wood with a Phoenix feather core and is twelve and a half inches long. I fell in love with it instantly and it has not left my side since I got it. Unfortunately I was not able to get me a cat like I had always wanted.

"Now Rey don't be afraid of the sorting hat, and no matter what house you are put in we are both very proud of you." My dad says with a smile. I look over to my mom. She hugs me tightly as my dad puts my things in the first years storage compartment.

"I want you to be good, do not procrastinate on your homework, and make lots of friends and memories." My mom says pulling out of the hug I smile up at her.

"I will." I say as the whistle blows signaling five minutes until departure.

"Rey!" I hear my name being called I look around and I see golden brown hair boy coming towards me.

"Hi Cedric!" I say and hug him.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Nethers." Cedric says to my parents when he pulls out of the hug. My father, who for some reason loves Cedric like his biological son he has never had beamed at him.

"Cedric! It's so nice to see you. Hey would you mind if Rey sits with you?" my father asks.

"Dad! Don't force Cedric to babysit me I will be fine!" I say my cheeks turning a little pink. Cedric gives us a crooked smile.

"Actually I was going to ask you if you did want to sit with my friend's and I." He says. I feel my face become red.

"Oh, well yes that would be nice thank you." I say with a smile. I give my mom and dad one last hug and kiss before I board the train. Cedric leads me to his compartment and there is already another boy and girl in there. Cedric introduces me to them as Tina and Henry. The girl was in Ravenclaw, the house my dad was in when attending Hogwarts, and the boy was in Hufflepuff like Cedric. He introduced me to them and they welcomed me, despite the three year age gap.

"Which house do you think you will be in?" The girl asks me. After Cedric had explained how he had met his friends. We had long left the train station since Cedric had explained in great detail their misadventures.

"I am not sure." I admit. I knew their were four house's at Hogwarts and what they were but my parents didn't tell me anything specific about them. I think it was to keep it to where their influence did not try and affect where I went.

"Well if you are smart then Ravenclaw, if you are loyal Hufflepuff." The girls says.

"We are also particularly good finders." The boy says who was seated next to me. The girl glared at him for interrupting her.

"If you are brave then Gryffindor, and if you are evil then Slytherin, but their attribute is suppose to be cunning." She says.

"I don't really know, I mean my mother was a Slytherin, and she's not evil..." I say.

"She's probably the only one." Cedric says with smirk.

"I don't think I would by sly enough to be a Slytherin, My father was in Ravenclaw... I am not sure if I am smart enough and I definitely know I am not brave enough to be a Gryffindor... Hufflepuff doesn't sound so bad I suppose if I get sorted in Hufflepuff I wouldn't be to upset, but I guess we will have to see where the sorting hat puts me." I say.

* * *

"First years! First years this way!" I hear a booming voice as I exit the train.

"Go on, its Hagrid he is going to escort you to the school he is really nice." Cedric says pushing me towards the front of the train.

"But my things." I say. Cedric smiles at me.

"Don't worry they will get to your room. Now go." I nod my head and follow the sea of children around my age to the front of the train. Hagrid, as Cedric had called him was really tall. I am pretty sure he was a giant. He lead us through a forest to the edge of a lake once I was at the shore and out of the trees my eyes almost pop out of my head.

"It's beautiful." I whisper looking across the lake at the castle. It seemed as though every room was shining bright to welcome us and it make the lake shimmer beautifully.

"Now I wan' each of yer to get into a boat, four per boat please!" I hear Hagrid say to us. I start to walk to the boat nearest me when someone shoves past me.

"Watch it!" I hear the person say and I stop dead in my tracks. I knew that voice, even if it had changed a little. The figure stopped for a moment and looked back at me. It was the same Draco that I had known two years ago. I was surprised to see him. He however did not look shocked or pleased to see me.

"Have a problems Nethers?" He asks with a sneer. I feel slightly taken aback. But I look down. Without even trying or wanting to see if we can be friends again now that we could see each other at school he was rejecting me and it hurt worse then when his father had called me trash.

"Um... No..." I say not looking back up to him. I went over to a boat that had only three people in it and sat down not making eye contact. I let my hair fall over my face trying to hide the tears that threatened to escape.

* * *

"Reyneen Nethers!" Professor McGonagall calls my name from next to the sorting hat. I walk up to the hat slowly and turn around as I sit on the stole I quickly look at Cedric who smiles at me, and then my eye land on the newest Slytherin Draco. His and my eye lock before the sorting hat I placed on top of my head and it covers my eyes.

"Hmm..." I hear a voice inside my head. "A very curious girl I see, very smart too. Yes you would do do very good in Ravenclaw like your father before you." Say the hat.

"You really shouldn't judge a person's future based on their past or their parents. I don't want to be in Ravenclaw I want to create my own identity." I think to the hat. It chuckles.

"Very cunning and intuitive I see, just like your mother, just like a Slytherin yes you would do great their too. The power you could gain."

"I don't want Slytherin. I don't want to be evil." I think to the hat.

"Power does not always mean evil." I says to me. "Hmm you would do good in Hufflepuff, you are very loyal, kind, and strong, though Gryffindor would suit you well too... hmm better be... HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat yells out. I smile as the hat is taken off of my head and my ears are met with a roar of clapping from the Hufflepuff table. I run over to the table where Cedric was sitting. I sit down next to him and he gives me a half hug and he says how proud of me he was. The sorting continues and I look over at the Slytherin table to look at Draco, He was watching the remaining of the ceremony and I feel that sting of sadness. I look down at my lap.

"Everything okay?" Cedric whispers in my ear, I look at him and give him a small smile.

"Yes everything is fine." I say.

* * *

Time at Hogwarts seem to go by quickly September weather quickly changed to the beautiful fall season, the trees along the forbidden forest changed to beautiful shades of browns reds and oranges. The air became crisp and cool and classes were, in my opinion, fascinating and wonderful.

There was one thing not wonderful though. I hadn't became friends with anyone other then of course Cedric. But I didn't hang around him to much, I didn't want him to feel like he had to talk to me or that I was a tag along to his friends. The girls in my door was nice, but I couldn't see myself getting close with them. Draco made his presence known though, and not in a good way. If he wasn't trying to irritate Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, then he was tormenting me.

"Well will you look at this? A pathetic excuse for a witch! Hey Nethers the house elves are lacking in their cleaning abilities at Hogwarts. They forgot to take you out with the trash!" I hear Draco from behind me. His friends laugh. I hold my books tightly to my chest and look down my black hair cloaking my face from tears as I try to walk away faster.

"Aww is the baby going to cry?" One of his friends, I think it was Goyle, asks in a very bad baby voice impression.

"Do we have a problem here?" Asks a voice of a person I almost run into. I look up at Cedric, he was glaring at the boys behind me.

"It's none of your business Diggory." I hear Draco from behind me. Cedric pulls me into a one arm hug as if to protect me. My dad was right he was like the big brother I had never had.

"It is when you are hurting one of my friends. I would suggest you move along little boy and take your pets with you." Cedric says in one of the most threatening voices I have ever heard. I hear Draco scoff and after a few moments Cedric pulls me out of the hug. A tear slips from my eye.

"Why do you let him do that to you?" He asks me.

"He was my friend. The Draco I knew was never mean to me." I say quietly. Cedric didn't questions me. Instead he gave me another hug and then walked me to my next class which was Herbology. He told Professor Sprout why he escorted me to class and she wrote him a pass to give to his teacher.

Cedric Diggory. He truly was my one and only true friend. From then on he escorted me to and from class along with his friends that I met on the train, Tina and Henry. For the first week I apologized to them and told them that they didn't have to help along with thanking them. That I didn't want to be a burden to them. They told me they didn't mind and that it wasn't a problem. Eventually I stopped apologizing and just thanked them. I soon became friends with Tina and Henry too, but not as close as I was to Cedric.

My birthday came in November. My parents sent me some candies, well my father did, and my mother sent me a new book to read. Cedric gave me a small box at Breakfast which I opened to find and bracelet. The beading around it was yellow and gray. It had one charm on it, it was a hat that looked very similar to the sorting hat. He explained every year on my birthday a new charm will appear until I was seventeen representing something that had happened to me in that previous year that impacted my life, This year it was being sorted into Hufflepuff.

Then, when mail came I received another present but it was unmarked. It was a beautiful black feathered quill with a beautiful deep blue valve cover journal. It had stones one the cover of ice blue. On the cover of the journal had me name in fancy writing also in the color of ice blue. The inside pages were the light blue with the lines being the dark blue. I absolutely loved it, but I didn't know who to thank for it.

* * *

"Are you sure you are going to be fine?" Cedric asks me.

"Cedric I am just studying in the Library. I will be fine." I say from our table one morning in the great hall. I needed to study for a test in transfiguration and I knew he had a test coming up in potions that he really needed to study for. It was now after the holidays and the teachers were piling on homework and tests to all years. The day went by as normal Cedric, Tina, or Henry would walk me to class. Henry was hilarious, Tina had a tendency to scold him a lot. I enjoyed watching them bicker. I think Cedric enjoyed it too.

That afternoon after classes I went to the Library. With it being Friday after classes there was only one or two other people in the Library, One being Hermione Granger. I look over to her and hesitantly walk up to her. She looks up with a smile.

"Hello Reyneen, How are you this afternoon?" She asks.

"I'm fine." I say quietly. "Are you studying for transfiguration?" I ask her. She nods her head. "I-I was wondering if I could study with you?" I ask her becoming nervous of her denying me. She studies me for a moment.

"Alright. Are you up to date on the homework that McGonagall has assigned?" She asks me as I sit down across from her. I think she was worried I was just here to try and get answers off her.

"Um... yes... I have it finished the other day." I reply. She nods her head shortly and continues to read. Periodically we would ask each other questions, getting the others opinion on a section from our book. I found her points of view very helpful and it helped me understand the curriculum a bit better then before.

"You know I really enjoyed this. You are very smart and intuitive. Why were you not placed in Ravenclaw?" Hermione says to me. I blush and smile.

"Well I don't know about smart and intuitive, the Sorting hat originally wanted to put me in Ravenclaw, but he didn't." I say. Hermione smiles.

"Me too!" She says. With our studying done we quietly talk with each other until a half hour before curfew. We part ways and head to are respectable common rooms.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Nethers the nothing. Wheres your little boyfriend? Have a falling out? Or did he get tired of babysitting you." I hear Draco's voice from behind me and I stop frozen in my track. I turn around to see him leaning against the wall.

"I see that you don't have your goonies following you around. Did they get tired of your constant whining and ditch you? Or did they suddenly become smart and realize that they shouldn't waist their time on you?" I ask him. He glares at me.

"I see your new friends have given you a tongue. Of course then again all trash talks." He says. It still hurt, even more so when he says it. But I don't let it show not this time.

"So says your father. Tell me Draco did it take him long to brainwash you. Or was our friendship a lie?" I ask him. I see him clench his jaw.

"I could never be a friend with a blood traitor." He says through gritted teeth.

"But you were at one point." I say. We stare at each other in silence for a moment before I continue. "Good night Draco." I say before turning and heading for my dorm.

From that moment on I was able to walk to my classes without escorts. Cedric still walked me to classes in the morning and met me after my last classes but not for in-btween classes. Draco still would make fun of me in front of his friends but it wasn't as bad as before. I started to become fast friends with Hermione as well. She and I would study together and then talk after. I found out she was muggle born and her parents were dentists. She had to explain to me what a dentist was though. I guess they were a doctor for teeth. So kind of like a healer. She explained that in the muggle world all different types of healers for different parts of the body. I found it fascinating.

"Rey can I ask you a question?" Hermione asks me after studying one night. I nod my head and smile. "Do you know anything about a man named Nicholas Flamel?" She asks me. I think for a moment.

"No, I have never heard of him before?" I say.

"Oh okay, it was for one of my assignments in Charms." She explains I nod my head. Not thinking anymore on it.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry, along with Draco had been found out of bed after hours and had to serve detention in the forbidden forest. The whole school was abuzz about it the next day. Draco was stating rather loudly how he had to fight off about fifty centaur by himself because Hagrid his dog and Ron ran away, Hermione passed out, and Harry got knocked out. Which everyone knew was a lie but the Slytherin's were convinced he was a God. I roll my eyes. His arrogance has become worse over the year.

Exams were upon us and I was nervous, I wanted to do good, sure I was passing all my classes, but the exam was twenty percent of our final grade. Cedric said don't over stress about it but I couldn't help it. I wanted my first years final results to reflect as a positive for me. He told me I was over thinking it and it wouldn't be as bad as I thought. When I got through the Charms exam he was correct.

Rumors spread thorough the school that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had went to search for something called a Philosopher stone which granted immortal life to whoever possessed it. Some say that Harry wanted it to face off against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, others said he had to fight dragons to get it. Hermione told me the real story. It was Professor Quirrell was sharing his body with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that was trying to get the stone and Harry had faced off against him. Harry had defeated him once more.

With Final exams done we were now at the final feast. Hufflepuff had came in third for house points. I think everyone else was just upset that Slytherin could rub it in our face again for another year that they won. That was until last minute when Professor Dumbledore gave last minute points to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville making Gryffindor in the lead and winners of though house cup. IT might have put us in last place but we were all still overjoyed that Slytherin was defeated. I smile and go over and congratulate Hermione and the others as everyone cheers. I look over to see a very disappointed Draco.

"So do you have any plans over the summer?" Tina asks me in our train compartment on the way home.

"Well I am going to write all of you of course." I say referring to her Henry and Cedric. "And I am sure my father will be hosting a going away party on August thirty first for us to head back to school. I would love if you all came, you guys can stay the night and we can all come to the station together on September first." I suggest happily. They all smile and agree.

When we get to the station I find Hermione and say goodbye to her she makes sure to remind me to write to her that summer. I knew I would be I considered her a close friend. I then found my parents which my mother hugged me tightly and then my father. I tell them about my year, leaving out the bullied by Draco part, they were glad that I was able to find such close friends and Draco was pushed out of my mind for the summer.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"Rey!" I hear from the entrance of Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. It was mid August and Hermione and I had scheduled to come together and we would meet each other here. Of course she had to schedule it when she would have the absolute opportune moment to meet Gilderoy Lockhart. A famous author that I just had a hard time believing. I would finally get to meet her parents though. I had came up with a list of questions for them wanting to know all that I could of muggles. I run up to her and hug her.

"Its so great to see you Hermione!" I say when I pull out of the hug. Her and I talk as a couple approaches us. Hermione introduces them as her parents and I smile up at them as I shake their hands. "It's so very nice to meet you." I say. They shake hands with my father and mother and my father starts to ask all the questions I had and I listen to their responses with interest as we walk down the alley to the shops. We all end up in Flourish and Blots where it is overcrowded.

"Hunny get your books and meet me back here." My mother says. I roll my eyes. She just had to see Gilderoy Lockhart too. Every girl and women, along with the occasional man, was absolutely in love with him. Except I didn't, I could see the phony he really was. God he was more arrogant then Draco. I stop my browsing for standard book of spells year two when I think of Draco. I sign. I had came to the acceptance over summer that he was never going to be the same accepting Draco that I knew when we were children. His father must have really tortured him. I wasn't naive. I knew that his father must have tortured him to make him believe that I was trash and mostly likely the reason I was the cause of the pain.

And I really started to believe I was the cause. If I had never went to the tree that day I would never had met him and he would never had gotten in trouble. He would have never been tortured. Would he still be an arrogant git, most likely, but he would never have been tortured.

I think about what Cedric had told me this summer. He knew that I blamed myself, He told me that Mr. Malfoy was a bad man, and that he would have found other reasons to torture Draco. Cedric had visited often though the summer. He taught me how to duel and new spells that I had not learned in defense against the dark arts. He showed me the most effective way to disarm another person, to defend myself a stronger spell to shield myself from another spell. He also helped me learn new transfiguration spells and some new charms. Some of them were hard since they were a bit advanced but I did eventually get them. He also talked to me about standing up for myself. That I needed to be more assertive, but to be smart about it, not angry. He really was the big brother I never had.

The clapping of the female population in the book store brought me out of my thoughts as I grab my book that I needed. And continued on with my list of books needed. Lockhart noticed Harry in the crowd and made him take photos with him. I roll my eyes as I bring the books, which ended up being a lot of Lockharts books back to my mother. She took them to pay for them, and get them signed by Lockhart.

"I bet you liked that didn't you Potter." I hear from behind me. I look back and see that Draco had cut off Harry at the door. Draco had grew over the summer. His face was more thin then before and his nose a bit more pointed. He had grew a fair amount taller too along with his voice changed. He had hit puberty over the summer, I suppose that was less embarrassing then reaching it in the middle of the school year. I walk up to the group next to Ron.

"Leave him alone." Ginny says glaring a Draco. Draco laughs.

"Look Potter you have yourself a little girlfriend." Draco says making fun of Ginny.

"At least he would be able to get one. No one would want to be with a pathetic git like you Malfoy. Except maybe a troll." I say to him for the first time ever using his last name and not his first. If I was going to be his enemy then so be it. He turns his attention to me.

"Are you implying that you want to date me Nethers, never mind, a troll is an upgrade compared to you." he says. I launch at him but two pairs of arms grab each one of mine. Fred and George was holding me back from hitting him. However the head of a cane comes down on Draco's shoulder.

"Now now Draco play nice." His father says from behind him. Draco moves out of the way so his father could stand in front of us. He pulls Harry forward and moves his bangs aside to show his scar.

"Well if it isn't Harry Potter. Tell me how was a mare toddler able to defeat the dark lord?" He asks.

"Voldemort killed my parents." I flinch a little with the name. Even Mr. Malfoy let go of Harry like he was a piece of hot coal.

"You're either very brave, or very foolish for using the Dark Lords name." Mr. Malfoy says.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself." Hermione says with a glare. Mr. Maloy turns his attention to Hermione.

"Ah, you must be Ms. Granger." He looks to his son for vitrifaction which Draco gives a short nod. Yes Draco has told me all about you. And how your parents are muggle." He tsks. "How sad." He says. He moves onto the Weasly's next. "Let me guess, red hair, vacant expressions, tacky second hand books." He says and takes a book out of Ginny's cauldron. "You must be Weasley's" He says distastefully. I had enough.

"A better Wizarding family then the Malfoy's have ever been." I comment. The mans icy eyes land on me. He held his composure but his icy eyes were filled with anger. I didn't hid behind anyone though I am not the small child I was three years ago.

"Ms. Nethers the views or opinions from a child such as yourself does not concern us adults." He says.

"It did when I was friends with your son and he would be playing muggle games." I stated with a glare. The fire in his eyes grew and I swear he was about to pull his wand on me. I did not break eye contact. I knew that this was a huge insult to a Malfoy, reminding him that his son had done something muggle. From the corner of my eyes I could see Draco glaring at me.

"Hello Lucius." Mr. Weasley says coming up to stand in front of the group. My father walks up next to Mr. Weasley.

"Arthur. Jeremy." Mr. Malfoy says coldly to the two men.

"I trust there is no trouble here. I wouldn't want to have to report you to the ministry for hexing and eleven year old girl for outwitting you now will I?" My father asks keeping his composure professional but his voice showed a bit of amusement.

"Draco, I feel our superior intelligence lowering just being in these insignificants presence." He says. He places Ginny book back into her Cauldron. "See you at work." He says to my father and Mr. Weasley and turns and leaves. Draco comes up in front of Harry.

"See you at school." He says and glances at me with a glare before turning and leaving. The rest of the summer went by in a flash and the return dinner held by my father went great. Cedric, Tina, Hermione and Henry all showed up along with the Weasley's and Harry. We all had a lot of fun and everyone stayed the night. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stayed to help drive everyone to the station in the morning.

* * *

"Can you believe that they actually drove a car to school?" I hear people whisper at breakfast the day after we had arrived back at Hogwarts.

"I heard they parked the car on the train and just let the train drive them here." another said.

"I heard that Harry took on the whomping willow and won!"

"These rumors are a bit ridiculous." Hermione says a tad annoyed after breakfast as her and I walked to Herbology. She was not happy with Harry or Ron right now and was giving them slightly a cold shoulder. She would get over it soon enough though. I just couldn't figure out what had possessed them to take the flying car.

"Look its true that trash attracts filth." I hear Malfoy say from behind us. I continue to walk like I had not heard them. I was not going to play his game. He continued to try and gain mine and Hermionie's attention, or maybe just mine, until Professor Sprout quieted the class.

* * *

"Okay, All who are trying for Chaser over here!" I hear Cedric yell, he was named Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team this year. "Beaters over there!" He pointed, " And Keepers over there! Back up Seeker try outs behind me." He says in an authoritative tone. I walk over the the group of people who were trying out for chaser. There was a group of twelve of us. I was the youngest trying out for Chaser. I take a deep breather nervous.

First Chaser tryouts. Cedric separated us into groups of three I was with a seventh year and fourth year trying out. One group would defend and try to take the quaffle from the other group. The group trying out would have to try and make a goal then the teams would switch. My team was on defense first we were group one viruses group three.

I was able to intercept several passes between the group and so was the fourth year I was pared with. Then it was our turn to attempt to make goals. We were exceptionally well, the fourth year dropped the Quaffle twice, both time I caught it before it hit the ground or the defense took it. After our tryouts and groups two and four go Cedric cuts six of the twelve. Both people I was pared with were cut.

"Now the six of you did exceptionally and all of you will have a place on the team, but I still need to determine who will be Chasers and who will be back up." He paired us off into teams again and we went through the trials of offense and defense. In the end he said he would post the results later in the week.

* * *

"Hey whats the commotion keep moving!" I hear Percy Weasley says trying to, as a 'perfect' prefect, keep the students in line. Cedric, Henry, and I were near the front of the group. On the wall in front of us was a message written in red, undoubtedly blood and Mrs. Norris hanging by her tail.

"The Chamber of Secrets have been open. Enemies of the Heir, beware. You will be next Mudbloods." I hear Draco say from across the hall. I glare at him. How could he use a word like that. The teachers clear us out.

"Cedric, what is the chamber of secrets?" I ask him. He shrugs.

"I am not sure but we better be careful." He says. I look back at the group and notice Draco looking at me. I didn't get a chance to see what the look was on his face because Cedric places his hand on my back to keep me moving in the right direction. I turn around and follow.

* * *

"Welcome Welcome to the Second Quidditch match of the season! Slytherin verses Hufflepuff!" We hear Lee Jordan announce. The first game was last Saturday with Ravenclaw Verses Gryffindor, and Gryffindor barely won.

"Now I don't want you guys to be intimidated by Slytherin, they tend to think we are an easy team to beat, but not this year. They will do anything in their power to win, even cheat, so be careful." Cedric says. I am sitting in my yellow robes at the front of the group. I had made chaser for the team. Some people say that it was only because I was Cedric's friend, I knew it was because I had talent. Professor Sprout had the final say on who was on the team anyways not Cedric. We walk out onto the field.

"Are you nervous?" Cedric asks me.

"A little bit but I am also really excited too." I say looking up to him with a smile. He smiles down at me. We mount our brooms, Mine being a Nimbus 2000, Madam Hooch throws the Quaffle in the air and we take off. My teammate get to the Quaffle first and we all race down to the end of the pitch passing it between each other. One of the big burly Slytherin's tried and slam me into one of the towers but I avoided it. We were able to get the first goal of the game the shot not made by me.

After about thirty minutes of play, The score being One hundred-ninty Hufflepuff to fifty Slytherin, and us being a beater and a chaser down, Lee Jordan announces that Draco and Cedric haves spotted the snitch. I had yet to scored a point though leaving that all to the fifth year chaser that was left. We scored again bringing it to two hundred to fifty. The Slytherin's raced down to our end of the field and tried to score but was not able to get it past our keeper. The fifth year Hufflepuff takes the Quaffle and her I and race to the other end of the field. She threw the Quaffle to me just as one of the Slytherin chasers took a beaters bat from their beater and hit my teammate with a bludger. I catch the quaffle and head for the three rings. I fake out the keeper and I get my first points of the game. Just as I hear the ding signaling that I had scored Lee Jordan announces.

"Draco Malfoy has caught the snitch! But with Reyneen Nethers goal that went in just before he caught it Hufflepuff wins two-hundred-ten to two hundred!" Lee Jordan announces. I get to the ground only to be tackled by a hug by Cedric.

"That was amazing Rey!" He says very happy. I had a huge smile on my face too. , Henry, our other beater, flew down as well and hugged me.

"Great job kid!" He says. The other Hufflepuff's were failing out onto the field. I get hoisted up on the shoulders of Cedric and Henry. Everyone was cheering for me. I had never felt this accomplished and happy at the same time. The guys carried me to the girls changing room before setting me down.

"Definitely going to be a celebration tonight." Henry says as him and Cedric walks away. I smile and walk into the changing room. After I was showered and changed I leave the locker room to find Cedric waiting for me.

"Did I really take that long?" I asked and he laughs.

"No I just got here." We walk back to the castle together only to get stopped by Draco and his gang. I noticed a girl with greasy black hair and a pug nose lingering around them.

"I bet you feel real good about yourself don't you Nethers. You know the _only_ goal in the game just _happened_ to be the winning goal. Kind of pathetic it took you that long to score." Draco sneers. Cedric goes to open his mouth to reply back but I look at him and shake my head no. I turn to face Draco again. He hadn't ruined my day and he was not going to.

"You are also forgetting that I avoided your cheating teammates, was able to carry the Quaffle for my teammates, and passed the quaffle to them flawlessly without any interception by your cheating team, along with had several interceptions of my own due to your teammates lack of calculation and stupidity. So yes I do feel real good about myself, because as a second year who is only turning twelve in about a week, I out maneuvered, out witted, and out played your teams, as they call it, best players along with outwitting you. Now if you will kindly step aside Cedric and I have a celebration party to attend." I say. I walk past them with my head held high. Then everything happened in what seemed like slow motion. I hear Draco whip out his want to attack. I spin around, not having time to pull out my own wand I hold up my hands in front of me as a defense as the spell flies at me. It ricochet off and invisible force field in front of my hands and hits Crab square in the chest. He begins growing pimples all over his body that start to puss and pop.

"Malfoy your coming with me." Cedric says. Cedric was the fifth year Hufflepuff prefect, he didn't have the options to give detention but he did have the option to take them to a head of house to deal with delinquent students. Cedric had me come with him and we took him to see Professor Sprout who, after Draco was proven guilty by Professor Sprout testing what the last spell was used on his wand, received a weeks detention for using magic in the corridor.

"I will get you for this." Draco says to me lowly when we leave the room.

"Just like a Malfoy, always blaming others for your stupid mistakes." I say and walk away.

* * *

For my birthday that year the charm on my bracelet, that I wore always except in the showers. Added a broomstick charm. Undoubtedly for Quidditch. I loved it. Cedric also got me the complete collection of my favorite book series. My father and mother bought me a broom care kit that was very very expensive. And then another mystery present. This time though it was another bracelet. But it had the head of two snakes on each end of the bracelet. The eyes of the snake, like last year, matched my eye color, well one o the snakes head did. The other head had ice blue eyes.

' _Like Draco's_ ' I thought. But it could not have been from him. He hated me. It was a beautiful bracelet though. I put it on my wrist that had my charm bracelet on it and the snake bracelet adjusted to my wrist size.

* * *

"Are you sure you will be okay here? I mean with the recent attacks..." Cedric says next to me in the greenhouse. I was tending to the mandrakes, two more attacks had happened before the Christmas holidays, a first year Gryffindor and Justin Finch-Fletchley, a boy in my year and house. I had decided I wanted to stay at Hogwarts for the Holidays though. Cedric was not to happy with that.

"Cedric I will be fine, I highly doubt whoever is doing this is going to be here. They would want to be here and attack when they have more then twenty people to attack." I say trying to put logic to my decision to stay. He sighs.

"But what if it is one of the people here?" He asks.

"Then I will risk it." I say. He looked very disappointed but he stopped my from tending to the Mandrakes and had me turn towards him.

"Just please be careful." He says. I nod my head. He looks at me defeated and hugs me. He like the rest of the school was leaving for the Holidays. I continue to tend to the mandrakes until I finish and head to the great hall. It was now time for dinner.

As I suspected there was not very many people here. There was Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy had stayed from Gryffindor, three Ravenclaws, and two other Hufflepuff that were older then me. Then there were seven Slytherin's, Draco, Crab, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, and I was unsure of the other three Slytherin's. Professor Dumbledore had us all sit at one table. I was seated next to Hermione, but across from Draco. I avoided making eye contact with him.

* * *

"I will see you tonight at dinner okay?" Hermione asks me from just outside that greenhouse I nod my head and smile as I get my earmuffs and dragon skin gloves on and head into the greenhouse that was growing the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout was in there already tending to some. We get most of the tending done before dinner.

"I will finish up here Professor Sprout." I yell so she can hear me.

"Thank you dearie." She says and walks out of the greenhouse I tend to the back wall of mandrakes. I was watering one when I see something move outside the window. I look at it confused, it was a bit blurry due to the frost and fog on the window. I walk up to it and wipe the window of the fog and see something large and black moving past I look at it confused. Then I see a distorted yellow color and everything go black.

* * *

I wasn't sure what time it was, where I was, or what was going on. I remember Hermione's voice, she would read to me the lessons of the day. Cedric's voices, he was upset, but not at me. Then Hermione's voice went away. Cedric's still came and went. But then I heard someone start reading me the lessons again. Draco's voice. But that was impossible.

"Slowly..." I hear Madam Pompfry say one day. I feel something liquid and warm running down my throat. It slowly starts to spread all over my body. I start to feel everything begin to move again at its normal rate. My muscles completely relax against the bed as I take my first deep breath in a very long time. My vision slowly start to come back to me. I blink several times while gaining focus.

"Miss. Nethers, I want you to move slowly." I hear Madam Pomfrey say. I turn my head slowly to look at her. "How are you feeling?" She asks me. I try to talk but nothing comes out. I slowly bring my hand up to my mouth signaling I was thirsty. She gave me a drink of water. "I want you to stay there and try not to move to much as your body starts to return to normal okay Miss. Nethers?" I nod my head slowly. She gets up and tends to the bed next to me. I slowly turn to look at who she is tending in the bed next to me to see Hermione laying there. She looked like she was slowly waking up as well.

"You were petrified just after I left the greenhouse." I hear from the other side of me. I slowly turn my head to see professor Sprout. "I am sorry Miss. Nethers I should have never left you there alone." I slowly reach out and place my hand on her and squeeze it gently to let her know it was okay. I didn't blame her at all.

* * *

"I am so glad to see you again." Cedric says engulfing me in a hug as I enter for the final feast. I had been awake for several days but we could not have any visitors during our recovery period. Henry hugged me next, followed by Tina.

"I heard I have missed a lot." I comment as I sit at the Hufflepuff table. Tina returns to the Ravenclaw table as Cedric and Henry tell me what had happened, or what everyone else thought happened since Christmas. By the end of the evening Hagrid had returned to the school and Cedric had made it known he felt responsible for me being petrified.

"You know I heard you right? When I was petrified I could hear everything around me. At least I think I did. Unless it was a dream. I mean I remember hearing Hermione's voice and her reading to me and telling me what I needed for classes, then I heard your voice and..." I stop did I want to tell him I heard Draco too. We were now seated in our common room talking before we headed to bed for the train home tomorrow.

"And?" He asks.

"And that's all I can remember." I reply.

"It did happen. Hermione insisted she read to you so that you wouldn't fall behind in classes. But I told her without you properly practicing it you were not going to be able to keep up. So I wrote to your father before I had my O.W.L.s. I asked him, if it was okay with you, for me to come over this summer and tutor you for the time you missed." Cedric says. I look at him shock.

"You would really give up your whole summer, just to help me?" I ask. He gives me a half smile and nods his head. I hug him knowing that it was going to be a long summer but at least I get to spend it with my best friend.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"Do you really think he will come to Hogwarts?" I ask Cedric on the train back to Hogwarts. The thing everyone is worried about right now is Sirius Black. He had escaped from Azkaban over the summer and no one is able to locate him. No one even knows how he did it considering no one had ever done it before.

"Only if he was insane." Henry adds as he closes his Daily Prophet.

"But that's the thing though he would have to be insane in order to escape Azkaban." Tina adds next to me.

"I am sure that Dumbledore will have means of protection." Cedric says from across from me. Just then the train lurches from side to side and the lights start to flicker. I get up and open the compartment door to look out into the hallway to see what was going on. Cedric right behind me. The train lurches again but much much more strongly and I end up falling back onto Cedric.

"I'm sorry." I say looking down at him.

"Um, its quite alright." He says his cheeks a slight tint of pink. Him and I get up and back into our seats. The lights were off now and the train had stop moving.

"What do you suppose is going on?" Tina asks.

"I'm not sure." Says Henry looking out the window. Suddenly the windows started to frost over and it was becoming very cold. I look out the compartment window to see a tall black hooded figure passing by and all the happiness I had ever felt drained from me. I notice Cedric Henry and Tina draw their wands. I realize what it is and I start to panic a little.

"Calm down Rey." Tina says from behind me. I take a few deep breaths. Dementor, but what was it doing on a train full of students? The hooded figure stopped again outside out compartment. I start to panic more. Tina moves and pushes me back towards the window as the Dementor opens our compartment door. Tina stands between me and it. It doesn't enter the compartment just looks between the four of us before moving on. Eventually the lights come back on and the train heats up and starts to move again. Tina moves next to Henry and Cedric sits next to me.

"Are you okay?" He asks me. I nod my head.

"What were they doing on the train?" I ask them.

"I am not sure, but I bet Dumbledore knows." Henry says. Cedric wraps his arm around me to comfort me and bring me out of the slump that the dementors put me in.

* * *

"Why would he endanger the lives of students by putting those things as guards around the school?" Henry asks as we walk down the corridor to our common room after the opening feast.

"If Sirius Black was able to avoid them before wouldn't he be able to now?" I ask.

"That is thinking logically Rey, who knows how Dumbledore thinks." Henry says.

"Well he is a brilliant man, aren't the brilliant ones always a bit of a tosser?" Cedric asks with a smirk.

"Well he _did_ hire Snape." Henry says. I laugh along with the boys as we enter out common room.

* * *

"Miss. Nethers may I have a word with you?" Professor Sprout asks the next morning at breakfast. I get up and follow her out into the hallway.

"Yes Professor?" I ask her.

"I have noticed that you had not selected any electives for this year since you were petrified when we selected last year. Here is a list of what you can chose from, you get to chose three." Professor Sprout says. I look over the list and decide what I wanted to do

"I would like Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Ruins, and Muggle Studies." I say picking from the five available. She selects them for me and then hands me my schedule for the year. She told me she would owl my parents to have them get the text books for me and have them sent to me.

"What was that about?" Cedric asks.

"I needed to chose my classes since I didn't get to last year." I say.

"What are you taking?" Henry asks I pass them my schedule. They read over it.

"Lets see." Henry says out loud. "Monday Double Charms with the Slytherins, ouch, then in the afternoon double History of Magic with the Slytherins."

"Sounds like a rotten start to the week." Cedric says.

"Tuesdays is double Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaw, then double Care of Magical creatures in the afternoon. Of course no house specification."

"Not to bad of a day." Cedric says

"Wednesday double potions in the morning with the Ravencalw and then double Herbology in the afternoon."

"Meh still not as bad as Mondays." Cedric comments.

"Thursday Double Muggle Studies in the morning and Double Ancient Ruins in the afternoon, and Astronomy with the Slytherin at eleven."

"Not to bad mostly electives.

"Then Double Transfiguration with the Gryffindors on Friday morning and free period Friday afternoon with the Slytherins."

"How did you get so lucky to get a free period at the end of the week?" Cedric says I shrug.

"Guess it just worked out that way this year." I say. "I mean they had to put it somewhere right?"

* * *

"Welcome back everyone!" Cedric says a little bit to enthusiastically the first Saturday morning after classes.

"You know you are giving Oliver Wood a run for his money mate." Henry says half asleep leaning against me. I shove him to wake him up. The sun was on the horizon but had not peeked over it yet and it was a bit cold.

"We are going to train much harder this year. Last year we came in second place, Second! We almost made it guys." Trying to encourage us. "Now I want us to be the strongest team out there on the field. So, I am going to train you for the first month, off your brooms." He says. This woke everyone up.

"What do you mean off our brooms Cedric?" I ask having a really bad feeling about this. He gives us a half smile.

"On Monday's, Wednesday, Friday's and Saturdays I want you all out here on this pitch at this time. Everyone groans. No one wanted to be on the practice pitch this early. "We will be running laps."

"What do you mean running laps?" Henry asks.

"Exactly what I mean, you will be physically running laps around the pitch."

"Cedric are you insane?" I ask him, the pitch seemed huge on the ground. He smiles at me.

"No love I'm not." he says and I look at him slightly confused. He had never called me love before. He paid no attention to my reaction as he walked over to the side of the pitch. "This is going to be your start and end point. The pitch is only a quarter of a mile once around. I want twelve laps from everyone each day we are here."

"And if we don't do it?" The other beater beside Henry asks.

"I am sure there would be some other club that will take you." Cedric says. Cedric conjured a board it was sectioned to have each one of our names on it. "This is the tracker it will count how many laps you do. When you reach your goal your name and square will glow gold along with give you your time. I want everyone to strive to do better every time. And no slacking on running your first day Henry to make it seem like you have improved. Now line up!" He says everyone lines up and gets ready to go.

* * *

"Cedric is literally going to kill us." I tell Hermione two weeks later. "I am so tired all the time. I am not even sure how I am making it though classes and passing!"

"Your grades are at par with mine Rey you are doing fine." Hermione says.

"But the constant running, and do you know what he is having us do? We have to throw the quffle from the floor through the hoops, that's over fifty feet! We have to do it 100 times before we are dismissed."

"Hey he is one of your best friends maybe you should talk to him." I sigh.

"No because weather or not I want to admit it we are doing better as a team." I say. "I will see you later Hermione I told Tina I would have lunch with her today." I say and close my Transfiguration book. I walk to the great hall by myself.

"Nethers." I hear and sigh annoyed.

"You know if it wasn't for the fact we shared classes together I would have thought you were dead." I say turning to look at the blond. "How have you been you slimy git?"

"Were you worried for me Nethers?" Malfoy asks smugly.

"I'm sorry that was suppose to be taken sarcastically. Your ignorance knows no bounds do they?" I ask. He glares at me.

"I am second in out class which surpasses you thank you very much." He says.

"Yet you cannot compare to the first in our class who just so happens to be one of my best friends and a muggle born. I wonder how that makes your daddy feel." I say. Draco takes one step towards me and I don't budge.

"You know I liked you better when you were not such an arrogant bitch." He says. I glare at him.

"What did you just call me?" I ask him.

"An arrogant bitch. Ever since coming here and being friends with Diggory you have acted like you are better then everyone else and, what I assume you call standing up for yourself, is really just your way of showing how much of a bitch you can be. What are the qualities of a Hufflepuff again? Loyal, trustworthy, kind? Yet you act just like a Slytherin, cunning, manipulative and knows how to get what she wants. I guess the sorting hat was wrong about you huh?" He asks.

"Well if I seem that way to you I had some great help along the way." I say defending myself.

"Right Diggory helped put you on the pedestal huh?" He says with a smirk.

"No, you did. You were my friend. And I was stupid enough to think that when we came to Hogwarts away from our parents we could be friends again. That no matter what your father did to you, you would look passed that and that we could be friends again. But I was wrong, I knew it the moment we seen each other at the boats you would never care for me again. Then I let you hurt me. I deserved it because I hurt you and you have no idea how sorry I am for it. But then after some time I realized there was nothing I could have done to stop that. So go ahead hate me, look down on me, do or say whatever you want. But stop blaming me for something that your father did that was out of my control." I say and turn and walk away.

* * *

"So Hogsmeade trip is next weekend first Saturday of October." Tina says excited as she sits down. I was slightly excited to go since it would be my first experience there. "Guess who I am going with." She says I look at her confused.

"What do you mean who you are going with?" she looks at me confused.

"You do know these Hogsmeade trips are a great way to go on dates." She says. I blush a little.

"Oh, I guess I didn't see the trips as that way I mean I thought you go to hang out with friends outside of Hogwarts." I say.

"Well you do, but you can go on dates too, and guess who I am going with." She says excited I laugh.

"I am not sure, who?" I ask.

"I am going with Henry." She says her eyes sparkling.

"Seriously, I didn't know you liked him with the way you guys bicker all the time." I comment. "But I guess I don't have to worry about guys liking me for a few years so I don't have to fully understand it." I say. The look in Tina's eyes vanish and she looks at me in shock.

"You don't know do you?" Tina asks me and I look at her confused.

"I don't know what?" I ask.

"Rey, Cedric has liked you for ages now." She says.

"Well he's my best friend I hope he likes me." I say. Then like hitting a cement wall I get what she meant by 'like.' "You mean likes me in a way that's not as as sister and more then a friend?" I ask her and she nods her head yes with a very amused look on her face. "Tina, you have to be wrong Cedric asked Cho Change out to Hogsmeade next weekend."

"You and I both know that Cho Change started that rumor and you my friend are in denial. Very common side effect." She says with a smirk.

"Prove it." I say to her. She looks at me confused.

"Prove what?" She asks.

"Prove that he likes me as not just a best friend." I say. She thinks for a second then smirks.

"Okay we will make him jealous. Oi Fred, George!" Tina calls over to the Gryffindor table. The twin red heads look over at us. Tina motions for them to come over. They stand behind me.

"And how are you lovely ladies doing today?" I hear the twins say in unison.

"Peachy." Tina says. "You guys like getting under peoples skin don't you?" She says.

"Well I wouldn't really call it getting under peoples skin," one of them says.

"As much as pulling pranks on them." The other finishes.

"What about Cedric?" She asks. The guys sit on either side of me.

"We are interested." The say.

"You both know Cedric's crush on Rey here?" She asks them.

"Of course."

"Who doesn't?"

"Rey doesn't believe me. So we are going to make the poor boy jealous." She say. The twins smirk.

"What do you have in mind?" They ask.

"You know I find this really cruel right. I mean, if by chance what you say is true this will hurt him wont it?" I ask.

"Maybe, but it also might make him ask you out." She say.

"But I don't want him to ask me out. I don't like him that way." I say. The tree of them looked at me shocked.

"Your kidding right?"

"She has to be."

"But you guys are always together. You mean you don't like him for more then a friend?" She asks. I shake my head no.

"I see him as a big brother. I have never though of him as anything different." I admit honestly. They look at one another.

"Do you believe us that he likes you different?" Tina asks.

"Why wouldn't he talk to me about it if he really did?" I ask.

"It's hard for any guy to admit that." one of the twins say.

"Especially to his best friend who is three years younger then him and he has had a crush on since before he came to school." Tina adds.

"I still don't believe you guys." I say. I see out of the corn of my eye Cedric walking up the aisle between the tables on Tina's side.

"One or both of you ask her to Hogsmeade." Tina says quietly to the twins.

"Hey Tina, Rey." Cedric says giving me a smile. I smile back to him. "Fred, George. How have you guys been?" He asks. He was eyeing them. Like he was trying to figure out why they were sitting on either side of me.

"We have been good. We just came over because Georgie here wanted to ask Rey something." the twin to the right of me says. I look between the two and then at Cedric who was eyeing them.

"And what is that." George turns me so that I am half facing him and takes my hands in his.

"Reyneen Annarose Nethers, will you do the honors of accompanying me on next weeks Hogsmeade trip?" George asks me, in a bit of an over dramatic way. I laugh. I figured might as will play along.

"Sure George, and next time don't use my middle name. If you do I will hex you." I say and laugh. The twins high five each other and get up and go

"Rey I don't think you should go with him." Cedric says sitting down across from me.

"Why not?" I ask him confused.

"Because you are to young to go on dates." Cedric says. I try to refrain from getting mad at him.

"Yet you are going on a date with Cho Chang this weekend to Hogsmeade and she is only a year older then me." I say a bit angry. I get up from where I am sitting.

"She is different." Cedric says.

"Wait the rumors are true?" Tina asks.

"No not really but..."

"But what Cedric? I can go with whoever I please to Hogsmeade and there is no way that you are going to stop me." I say. I get up and walk away.

* * *

"I want twenty laps from you today!" Cedric yells to ever. That was five miles total. It was the Saturday of the Hogsmeade trip and damn it all Cedric was going to try and keep us here so we would miss it.

"This is not fair Cedric how are suppose to finish that and are drills in time for Hogsmeade!" Henry says. Others agree with him.

"You want to make that 24 laps Jones?" He asks Henry. I sigh in frustration this was ridiculous the only reason he was doing this was to keep me from going with George.

"Oh will you cut it out Cedric." I say to him annoyed. I turn to everyone, "You guys do the twelve laps and routine. He is just punishing you guys because I said I would go with George Weasley to Hogsmeade and he is trying to keep me here. _I_ will do the twenty laps and my drills _and_ go to Hogsmeade." I say to all of them. They all look at each other a little uneasy but start to run I turn to Cedric who was about a half a nerve from exploding with anger.

"How dare you override my authority?" He asks me.

"Looks Cedric, whatever is wrong you need to talk to me. George is a good guy, bit of a goof, but a good guy. I am just going to hang out with him, doesn't mean he is going to become my boyfriend." I say I turn and start to run my laps.

* * *

"He was that bad?" George asks while we browse through Zonko's.

"Maybe you guys are right, I mean I have never seen Cedric act like this before. It's very out of character for him." I say.

"Well..." Fred says coming up next to me. Both of them had joined me on the trip even though George was the one that asked. "What are you going to do?" Fred asks.

"I am not sure. I mean its not fair to me that I don't get to date, but I don't want my best friend to always be mad at me." I say.

"I highly doubt that's going to happen mate." George says looking out the window. I look out to see Cedric laughing and holding hands with Cho Change. I smile.

"She sees the guy that's crushing on her with another woman happy and she smiles." Fred says.

"Well yes, I don't have those same feelings for him Fred. If he is happy with her then I am happy for him." I say.

* * *

The school year seemed to go by in a flash. It was already May. Cedric wasn't giving me the cold shoulder anymore, but he didn't have much time to talk to me anymore either, now that he was with Cho Chang and she decided to take all his time. Tina and Henry were dating but they made sure they made time for me. Hufflepuff had won the Quidditch cup this year, only winning because the dementors attacked Harry in the final match. That was something that had worried me.

Malfoy had bullied me here and there but something seemed to happened to him when I had my one on one encounter with him. He didn't put as much effort into bullying me. It was strange but it did make the school year less stressful. For my birthday the charm that I had gotten was a ruin. I think it was because out of all my new classes I had excelled at that class. I even did better then Hermione at it. I had received another mystery gift, but this time I knew for a fact it was Draco. It was a necklace with a silver willow tree on it. Only he and our fathers knew that was where we met. And I knew my dad wouldn't have bought it and Mr. Malfoy was a defiant no.

I was walking down to Hagird's house to say goodbye to Buckbeak. I was still mad at Mr. Malfoy for saying he had to be executed for a small scratch that Draco caused. I bow my head to Buckbeak and he bows his head from his laying position in the pumpkin patch. I go over and sit next to him and stroke his feathers. I stay like that all afternoon. Talking with him quietly. Later on in the evening I head back up only to find Draco and his group standing their with a pair of binoculars trying to get a good view of the execution. Before I come into their view I see Hermione go up to the group and pull her wand on Draco. I hear Ron tell her its not worth it and she then punches him. I laugh as Draco and his friends run away.

"Been down to visit Buckbeak?" Harry asks me passing by. I nod my head sadly.

"I really wish there was something I could do for him." I say Harry nods his head understanding and I head back to the bridge. When I get across the bridge and next to the clock tower I see Professor Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic leaving the clock tower I hide so they don't see me.

"Hide where they don't see me..." I whisper. Then an idea struck me."Hide Buckbeak where they wont see him!" I say I follow the Minister of Magic and Dumbledore back down to buckbeak. The executioner had followed them. Dumbledore starts to turn around to say something to the Minister and I duck into the Forbidden Forest.

I run near the entrance but far enough out of sight that no one sees me. I get to the tree line near Hagrid's place and notice Harry and Hermione trying to get Buckbeak already.

"Where is Ron?" I whisper. I had just seen him with them coming down to Hagrid's house.

"Not feeling well." Hermione whispers as she pulls some of the dead ferrets off the hanger. She hands me one.

"Come on Beakie, hows about a nice dead ferret?" She asks Buckbeak he gets up and takes it from Hermione. We lead Buckbeak into the Forbidden Forrest, almost being caught, but successfully freeing him.

"This is brilliant now Buckbeak can be free to go." I say as we start heading back towards the school. Though I notice Harry pulling Buckbeak along and Hermione has a odd look on her face.

"We are going to have to tell her Harry." She whispers.

"Isn't that messing with...?" Harry began.

"Not if it originally happened." Hermione says. I look at them confused. We get to the treeline near the Whomping Willow and I notice Professor Lupin stilling the tree. He then proceeds to enter the tree though a secret hole. I look confused. Moments later Snape shows up.

"There goes Snape." Harry says. "Now we wait." He says after Snape vanishes too.

"Now we wait." Hermione agrees. We all sit down and I am confused as ever.

"Someone want to explain?" I ask. Hermione looks at me.

"It's a bit of a story really. First off, the one thing that you are going to see is two Harry's and two of me." Hermione says. I raise my eyebrow but let her explain. She pulls a necklace from under her shirt. "This is a time turner. It is how I have been able to get to my classes all year. I have been going back in time. Harry and I as you see here, have already lived through this time. We are waiting for us to come back from where the tunnel leads under the whomping willow." She explains.

"Okay a bit of a headache but I follow." I say she nods.

"Now you must trust us when we say this. Sirius Black is not the bad guy." She says. This really confuses me.

"But... he killed someone... his friend Peter Pe..." I say.

"No he didn't." Harry says shortly.

"But how..."

"They were all unregistered Animagus. Hermione says.

"Who?" I ask.

"Harry's dad, Sirius, and Peter, they created a very risky and very complicated potion to turn them into animals to help Professor Lupin." Hermione says.

"Why? Is he an Animagus too?" I ask Hermione shakes her head no.

"Rey, what you hear and see tonight, I need you to promise me that you will not tell anyone at all." Hermione says.

"Okay I promise." I say.

"Professor Lupin is a Werewolf." Hermione says. My mouth drops open. Then when I think about it, the absences around the full moon, the essay Snape gave us. Professor Lupin's actions all make sense. But werewolf or not, he was still the best teacher she had ever had in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Okay, Your dad and Sirius and Peter were all friends with him in school correct?" I ask Harry and he nods his head.

"Long story short." Harry says. "Peter was the one that betrayed my parents. Gave them up to Voldemort. Sirius confronted him. That's when Peter cut off his own finger and turned into his Animagus form and has been living like that for twelve years.

"How did you find him?" I ask curiously.

"His animal form is a rat, fitting for him really." Harry says. I look confused this still didn't answer my question rats are generally not easy to spot all that much. Hermione could see my question.

"Peter was Ron's rat Scabbers." My eyes grow wide. Come to think of it I do remember seeing the horrid thing missing a toe. Everything made a lot of sense now. We see three figures emerging from the willow. One was Harry, The other Ron who was being held up by a man.

"That's him?" I ask, the both nod. I see Harry walk off with Sirius to the side facing the castle.

"He was asking me to come live with him just there. I was going to say yes but."

"Harry!" The Hermione that had emerged next Ron yelled She pointed at Professor Lupin who had a wand pointed at an ugly middle aged balding man. Undoubtedly Peter. The full moon started to rise and that was when things turned bad.

Professor Lupin changed into a werewolf, Peter changed into a rat and escaped and Snape popped out of the Whomping willow tree as Professor Lupin threw Sirius away.

"Come on." Hermione says and gets up and we start to run following where Sirius had drawn Professor Lupin. Then Harry threw a rock at him and Lupin was about to attack Harry. Out of panic, and from what I remembered in the essay, I howled. It stopped Lupin but my mouth was covered.

"What are you doing?" Harry whispered.

"I'm saving you." I say and howl again before Lupin attacks other Harry again. I had remembered the part in the essay how werewolves were unable to resist the howl of another wolf. Wolf Lupin took the bait.

"Yeah but now he is coming after us."

"Umm... run!" I say and the three of us turn and run into the forest. We hide behind a tree away from where professor Lupin had entered.

"I think we are safe." I whisper as we step out from behind the tree. We take a few steps before we hear a growl behind us. We all three turn around slowly. There was Professor Lupin in all his werewolf glory. He looked like he was whimpering for a moment. I go to take a step back and his eyes shift to me. He howls and start to advance on us. Before he could get to close though Buckbeak comes to the rescue.

"Rey, can you go back? Get Snape and tell him to come to the lake. That we need help." Hermione says. There was a breeze of sudden ice and I shiver along with a vale of sadness draping over us. The three if us look up to see an Army of dementors flying over us.

"Go!" Harry says. I run back to find Snape trying to mend as much of Ron's wounds as best as he can before carrying him up to the castle.

"Professor!" Harry is down by the lake he needs your help with Sirius!" I say running up to the group.

"Rey?" Hermione asks confused.

"Miss Nethers what are you doing out?" Professor Snape asks.

"Sir there is no time to explain they really need your help." I say.

"Help Miss Granger get. Mr. Weasley to the hospital wing then get Professor Dumbledore." Snape says before taking off towards the lake. Hermione and I help Ron into the hospital wing and I go to professor Dumbledore's office. I get to the statue in front of his office and realize that I don't know the password.

"Miss. Nethers?" Professor Dumbledore asks walking down the hall. I run up to him and explain to him quickly what was going on. "I want you to return to your house Miss. Nethers it is imperative that you do not speak of this with anyone, not even Mr. Digory. In the morning you can visit Miss. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Potter." He says. I nod my head. I head back to my dorm as Dumbledore heads off to the hospital wing.

* * *

Exams were over and everyone was enjoying the beautiful June afternoon before returning home for the summer. I was happy to find out that Sirius had escaped along with Buckbeak and no one got in trouble. It had been a very fast and very interesting year indeed.

"You know I don't think I have had much time to talk to you lately." Cedric says to me. I was sitting next to the lake reading a muggle book Hermione had given me. It was called Pride and Prejudice and I found it very interesting for a muggle story. I would have to look into the Jane Austin books more.

"Yes well your girlfriend does not like me." I comment as I close the book.

"Cho? Of course she likes you." Cedric says.

"She pushed me and my plate of food off the end of the table at lunch yesterday so she could make room for her next to you and then said I was not aloud to sit next to you it is her spot." I say. He laughs a bit nervous.

"Yeah she can get a bit jealous of you." He says rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't understand why." I say playing the innocent card. I knew perfectly well why. She viewed me as a threat, why I don't know. I didn't like Cedric in that way. I couldn't help if he liked me that way. "What I mean is, she has no reason to be jealous, I know you view me as a sister and I view you as a brother. There is nothing to be jealous of. Unless she is jealous of the time you spend with me. Then I would have to ask you how can you put up with the neediness?" I ask. I had mentioned the brother sister feelings to hopefully get him to understand that was how I viewed him. He must have understood because he smiled.

"I am not sure I guess I really like her." He says, then change subjects. "So the Quidditch world cups this summer. England is hosting, we going?" He asks me and I smile.

"Heck yeah!" I say. We sit there and discuss our summer and how we needed to convince our fathers to take us to the Quidditch world cup.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

"I cannot believe you dad got us the best tickets in the entire freaking stadium!" Henry says. We were waiting for Tina and Cedric to arrive to our tent. My dad was able to get six tickets for the Quidditch world cup. And the seats were in the Minsters box, so not only will we be sitting with the Minister of Magic but some of the top royal families in the world. The tickets my dad was able to get was for him and myself, one for Mr. Diggory and Cedric, and then I was able to invite Henry and Tina along as well. My mother was not a huge Quidditch fan at all. She said she would spend her weekend with Mrs. Weasley. We all were going to share a tent, me and Tina sharing a room.

"The Fun has arrived!" We hear Tina call as she opens the tent. My father follows after her he had picked her up from the portkey drop off point and escorted her here so she wouldn't get lost in the mayhem outside. We talked for several hours as we waited for Cedric and his dad to arrive.

"So hoping to meet any hot foreign guys?" Tina asks as she raises and lowered her eyebrows quickly. I laugh.

"Well I wont necessarily be openly looking. If a guy just so happens to catch my eye though." I say laughing.

"You know you are a very bad influence on her." Henry says leaning back in his chair. Tina rolls her eyes.

"I can be a very bad influence on you too," She remarks.

"Sorry guys but I don't want to know what goes on when no one is around." I say laughing.

"Good you shouldn't you are way to young for that." Cedric says coming up behind me. I smile and jump up and hug him and he laughs and hugs me back.

"Gesh miss me much?" He asks amused and smiles down at me from where I am standing. Tina hugs him followed by even Henry.

"Mate none of us have seen you all summer and you hardly wrote to any of us." Henry says and Cedric gives us a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, Cho has really been keeping me busy." He says. Tina rolls her eyes and Henry smirks and I shake my head.

"You are totally whipped mate." Henry says.

"Or just trying to forget feelings for someone." Tina says under her breath but I hear it and I am sure Cedric does too.

"Oh my goodness if it isn't little Reyneen all grown up!" I hear Mr. Diggory say and come over and hug me. "I haven't seen you in two years and now look at you. Better watch it Jeremy, shes is bound to have a few boys chasing her at school already." He says and my dad doesn't look to pleased.

"Thank you Amos, I am well aware my daughter has reached the age where she is interested in boys, lets just hope they know how to defend themselves." My father says not pleased with the idea of me dating. I smack my hand to my forehead.

"Ugh that is going to be the speech I hear until I get to school." I mumble to my friends and they all snicker.

"Shall we all go for a walk?" Cedric asks.

"You just got here." Tina says.

"Yeah this is the time to relax." Henry agrees.

"How about Cedric and I give you two alone time and we will walk around the campsite and see the festivities." I suggest. The two look at each other while they 'decide' if that was the best option. Cedric and I both look at each other and roll our eyes.

"We wont be offended if you guys want to have a make out party for two." Cedric says.

"Well when you put it that way." Henry says. We laugh and Cedric and I head out. We walk around the major campsite looking for our classmates and friends who we knew were coming to see the Quidditch World cup. We spent a good time talking with people and walking around. He got me an ice cream from the sweets stand that was set up. We also got Tina and Henry some candies.

* * *

"Ugh, do we really have to be up this early?" Henry asks stepping out of the tent the next morning.

"We do if we don't want to be waiting in line to get in while the game is going on." Tina says as she emerges from the tent after him. I yawn and stretch as my father comes out of the tent as well being the last of the group out. My face was painted with a green and white shamrock on once side and a green and white 'I' on the other side. I had my hair pulled into two breads what went below the center part of my back and each had a green and white ribbon tied at the bottom.

We head to the forest that was going to open up at seven to make a path to the pitch. A lot of people were already there, but at I drew closer to the time for it to open there were even more people behind us then in front of us. The trees open and we all start for he pitch.

"The thing I am most excited to see today is Rey to get her flirt on." Tina says and Henry chuckles. Cedric, though his face didn't show it his eyes were very angry.

"How do you even know there will be any other guys in the ministers box?" Cedric asks trying not to sound defensive but failing miserably at it.

"Seriously do you not read?" Tina asks. "The freaking prince of Bulgaria will be their along with his friend the prince of Denmark, both sixteen, and both single." she adds winking at me.

"They are to old." Cedric says.

"Mate... don't do this again." Henry says to Cedric. He glares at the three of us huffs and walks ahead to our fathers.

"I thought if he dated Cho he would be over me." I say quietly looking at the ground feeling slightly upset. I didn't want him to get upset like this whenever the mention of me liking or dating other guys.

"You want to know what I think?" Henry ask.

"I don't think there is anything to say to explain him Henry." Tina says.

"Well a guys theory about a guy is better then a girls, we think similarly you know." He says. Tina sighs.

"Fine all knowing please tell us." She says. She could get easily annoyed when she was woken up early.

"He doesn't really like Cho. He first started dating her to make you jealous, when he seen it didn't get a reaction. He stuck with her because he is to nice of a guy and doesn't wasn't to hurt her feelings." He says.

"But if I was to ever say I would give him a chance he would dump her in a second?" I ask. Tina and Henry look at each other.

"Yeah he would." They say together.

* * *

"Oh my goodness those are the princes." Tina whispers in my ear. "and one of the seats next to them is one of ours!" She says excitedly. "Go!" She says and pushes me into the row first making me be the person that sits next to the prince that has sand colored hair. He had beautiful blue eyes and thin lips. He was very handsome which was probably why I was so nervous. I take my seat next to him. Trying not to get to close but also trying not to sit to far away like I was repulsed by him, which I was far from. I look out over the stadium, looking at the prince's out of the corn of my eyes.

The other prince had dark brown and and eyes he had very baud shoulders, not that the sand colored hair prince didn't but the dark haired boy was a lot more muscular. I could see the princes both look over at me, I try to prevent myself from tensing up and looking nervous.

"Hello." A accented voice says from my left where the boys were sitting. I turn to look at them giving both of them a small smile.

"Hello." I reply.

"Forgive me for being so bold, but you are one of the most beautiful women that I have ever met." The sand colored hair boy says to me. I blush.

"Oh... t-thank you." I say feeling my face heat up more from my laps in speech.

"May I ask what is your name?" the boy asks.

"My name is Reyneen Nethers." I reply and he smiles. My goodness he had a good smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Reyneen, I am Christen Vilhelm DeGroot, Crown Prince of Denmark." He says giving me his name and title shaking my hand. "This is my friend Jules Marreo Abram, Crown prince of Belgium." I shake his friends hand. We all three talk a little more, the prince of Denmark flirting with me a couple of times. Until a very unwelcome presence sat next to the Prince of Belgium.

"Hello Nethers, I am surprised they let someone of your, status, sit in the Ministry box." Draco says I keep myself from glaring.

"Malfoy." I say and turn my attention back to the Prince of Denmark, who was a major flirt. I knew he was just messing around though. Plus, I had to admit, this flirting thing was kind of fun.

"Tell me, you are of royal blood how can you stand being around such treacherous people?" Malfoy says interrupting Christen and I. He had asked both princes this question.

"Treacherous? What do you mean?" Jules asks confused.

"So the whore next to you didn't tell you that she is a blood traitor. Believes that Muggleborns are just as important in our world as us pure bloods.

"My my Draco it seems as though you have gone and confused me with Pansy again, must be the hair color." I shoot back. "Besides your blood is no pure then any muggleborns." I say.

"Did you fall off your broom this summer and forget who I am?" Malfoy says in an almost laugh.

"No I did not but your lack of intelligence sure is amusing." I say.

"I am second in our year surpassing you." He reminds me.

"Then surely you know that all wizarding families descend from muggles. The first village to perform magic were all born of muggles. And their children were born of muggles and wizards of that first generation. There is no such thing as pure blood. There are those whose bloodlines are new to magic and those who have had them for hundred to thousands of years. Only those who are so persistently unaccepting fail to realize that people who are born of muggles today are just as pure of a witch or wizard as a persons who family had it for centuries. Us 'blood traitors', as you call us, understand that. And your pure line is running thin, every generation that comes from the pure bloods are getting slimmer and slimmer. Even marrying into family is no longer working, the pure bloods become so related that your magic eliminates itself and your children are born Squibs. So please attempt to try prove me wrong, because in the end people like you and your father are the ignorant ones, no matter what your grades on paper say." I say rather passionately. Christen smirks at me and Malfoy glares.

"That was very well put." Jules says. The Minister comes up to the box moments later and opens the games ending our conversation.

* * *

"Seems as though someone was very fond of that speech you gave to Malfoy." Tina says when we get back to the tent. Christen and I had exchanged addresses so we could continue to write to each other. I blush as Tina says this. "And it seems to me that you have a crush."

"He way nice, and a flirt, but I don't think he really likes me. I think he just found it fun to flirt with me." I admit.

"Of course he did." Cedric says bitterly. I look at Tina and she sighs. She stops Henry from entering the tent and I am pretty sure my dad and Mr. Diggory as well.

"You cannot do this Cedric." I say to him. He looks at me slightly annoyed but doesn't say anything. "Don't give me that look Cedric. I know okay. I know how you feel for me and it hurts me to know that I can never return those feelings for you. You are my best friend and like a brother to me. It is not fair that every time I think about a guy, which yes Cedric at this point in my life I think about guys, I worry about you. I worry about how it would affect you and how you would react. I don't like it when you get upset with me. It is also not fair to Cho. She likes you a ton and in a way I could never see myself liking you." I say. His sits there not looking at me. He looked like he was deep in thought, which for a moment I thought he had completely ignored what I had said.

"Do you even realize how amazing you are?" He asks me. I was slightly confused by this statement. "You are witty, funny, smart, you can stand up for yourself while protecting others in the process. You are loyal and caring and the most beautiful person I have ever met. I thought that if I date Cho that I would realize that what I felt for you was just a crush. But I was wrong. I really do know that you don't feel the same way I do, and your right, its not right for me to get jealous every time that you seem interested in other guys. I just wish you would give me a chance, try to view me as something more then just a brother." he says.

"But I don't know how..." I response looking down. I was at a crossroads and I didn't know what to do or how to proceed. He was my best friend and he was asking me to try and view things differently. But how do you do that when you have viewed someone as something for so long? He walks up to me and gently places his thumb on my chin and lifts it so I am looking up at him.

"Promise not to get mad?" He asks me in almost a whisper. Before I could respond, because I have no clue what he is talking about, he lowers his lips to mine and kisses me. It wasn't forced, it was gentle and soft, and I felt like an idiot because I didn't respond. Not because it wasn't nice, it was a very nice kiss, but I was in to much of shock to respond. The shock wore off after a moment though just as Cedric lifted his lips away from mine. He doesn't say anything as he looks down at me, and when I don't say anything I see worry start to fill his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Rey, I should have never done that." He says to me. "Please don't be mad at me." He says.

"I um... I'm not..." I say and look away from him. "I need to go..." I say quietly and start to head for the tent entrance. I didn't get far before Cedric stop me by grabbing my upper arm.

"Rey..." But before he could proceed with any more there was a loud explosion from outside. Him and I race outside to hear screaming and people running around Tina and Henry were still neat the tent entrance.

"Get to the Forest!" Mr. Diggory yells over the growing screams "Hurry!" He screams. I look around for my dad as I feel someone grab my hand.

"Come on!" Tina says as she pulls me along.

"My dad!" I scream.

"He will be fine!" She screams and pulls me again, however we are all separated by the mass hysteria. I almost fell several times. I was just about at the tree line when I glance over and see a body laying on the ground. I couldn't just let someone lay there and possible die, unless they were already dead. I couldn't just leave whoever it was though I head over to the body, getting bumped and pushed along the way. I lean down and notice that it was Harry Potter that had been knocked unconscious. I shake him to try and wake him up and their was no response. I feel his neck for a heart beat and feel the presence od a strong beat. I relax a bit knowing he was not dead.

"Harry please wake up." I say quietly. I gently tap his face with no response. I see a slight cut on his temple and I look around us. No one was paying attention. I place my hand on his temple where the cut was and I close my eyes. I wish with every fiber of my being that the cut would heal and he would wake up. I had become very good at healing without my wand or spells. I honestly am not sure how I did it.

"Please wake up." I say a rush of water came to my hand as I silently thought ' _aguamenti'_ and I gently patted his face. The shock of how cold the water was must have woken him because he gasped. "Oh thank goodness." I say. I hear some crashing behind me and see dark hooded men coming towards us they had masks on and I felt my heart race. I had never really seen one before in person up until now, but they were as frightful as in the stories that had mentioned them.

"Harry I need you to get up, come on." I say and get up while at the same time help pulling him up.

"Rey, what's going on?" He asks me.

"I am not sure, but whatever is going on it is not good at all. We need to get you away from here." I say. I take his hand in mine so I wouldn't get lost from him. We run into the forest and I run a little bit deeper then necessary, there were other people back this far but for the most part we could not hear the panicked voices of others.

"Who were those people Rey?" Harry asks me once we finally stop and I let go of his hand.

"You would think the famous Harry Potter would know his own enemy wouldn't you?" I hear Malfoy's voice and I groan.

"Seriously I don't really want to deal with you right now Malfoy go be sinister and parade around the campsite with daddy." I say. My adrenaline was wearing down and I was becoming exhausted. I didn't particularly want to see Malfoy.

"Are you suggesting that my father is..."

"Draco, you know as well as I do that daddy is out there. Stop trying to cover it up and convincing me otherwise because it will be a waist of both our time and breath. Now leave Harry and I alone." I say.

"Sorry I will just leave you two to your snogging then, kind of sick of you to do though in the middle of a forest with a battle going on around you." Malfoy says walking off. "I will be sure to let Diggory know where to find you and what you are doing." He says just before he gets out of ear shot. I sigh in frustration.

"Why do you let him get to you like that?" Harry asks me.

"I do not let him get to me." I deny. "The people out there are his followers... V-Vol-Voldemorts followers..." I say having a hard time getting Voldemort's name out. It wasn't exactly the proper thing to call him yet at the same time it was. I was just terrifying saying his name. "They are called Death Eaters. That is what Draco meant by you not knowing your own enemy."

"Why do you sometimes call him Malfoy and other times Draco?" Harry asks me as I lean against a tree.

"Long story short we were friends as children. It was really only for about a year, his dad found out and wasn't too happy. He tormented Draco into believing that I was the enemy and the cause of his pain. Which is true it was my fault." I say to Harry. He was the only one besides Cedric, and Draco himself, that I had told.

"You really shouldn't feel like you are to blame for Lucius Malfoy's wrong doings."

"Yeah Cedric says that too. Look Harry can you promise not to tell anyone. I mean Hermione knows, she caught on when we visited Flourish and Blots just before second year, And I suspect the Weasley's know too that I was once friends with Malfoy, but beyond them and yourself and Cedric no one knows, and I want to keep it that way." I say. I could see him nod his head. "Thanks."

We walked slowly through the trees and I was eventually able to find Tina and Henry who was looking for Cedric and I. The four of us set out searching for Cedric along with Hermione and the Weasley's for Harry. We find Ron and Hermione first and Harry stays with them as we continue on to find Cedric.

"Thanks for helping me." Harry says as we part.

"You're welcome." I say quietly as we leave. We walk for another fifteen minutes in the woods before I hear my voice.

"Rey!" It was Cedric's voice. I run towards it. It was hard to see but I knew I was getting close by his voice. I ended up running into him, which knocked my to the ground. Cedric helps me up and hugs me tightly. He was breathing heavy like he had by running.

"Thank Merlin you are okay." He whispers in my ear.

"Thanks for being so concerned for us mate." Henry says coming up to Cedric and I. Cedric hugged me for a moment longer before he pulled away. There was a loud boom and a flash of green light filled the sky. Everyone looks up in terror. Screams could be heard throughout the forest as everyone stairs up at the Dark Mark in the sky. This was serious, someone must have died if that appeared.

"Cedric our fathers have you seen them?" I asked worried, he looked down at me. I could tell he was trying to mask his worry but it was no use. I knew he was just a worried as I was.

* * *

"The Prophet says that the attack at the world cup is still under investigation." Henry says as we speed past the country side on the Hogwarts Express. It was just him and I in the compartment, Cedric, who had been named Head boy, and Tina, who was Head girl, were at the prefects meeting. Both of our fathers came back unharmed from the world cup. I still was unsure about Cedric. The kiss that he had given me the night at the Quidditch World cup did help me see him in a different way, but my feelings for him had not changed all that much. I cared for him a great deal, I really did, but not in the way he was hoping. It hurt me a bit to know I was going to end up hurting him, and I knew that we would have to talk about it at some point.

"Stop thinking so hard." Henry says. I sigh and look over him. He smirks. He knew about the kiss, so did Tina. They both however have not tired to pry any information from either of us.

"Henry, I don't like him like that. I knew it before, and the kiss, I didn't really feel anything. I mean I was shocked and it was nice, but..."

"You don't have the fluttery feeling in your stomach?" He asks teasingly. I glare at him playfully knowing he meant to just kid.

"How did you know that Tina was the one?" I ask and he looks at me in fake shock.

"Well I am not really sure I love her but..."

"Henry it's not nice to lie especially to yourself." I say with a smirk of my own. He sighs.

"Okay so I love her. I guess I figured it out in third year, they year before you got to Hogwarts. Then I really didn't know it was love, but I started to think about her more. How beautiful she was, how smart, how despite her annoying habit to always correct me, I enjoyed her doing that because she was paying attention to me. I loved they way she gets frustrated and yells at me whenever I intentionally picked on her, and I even noticed myself picking up on some of her habits. It was last year when I realized I loved her. Oddly enough it was in Herbology, her worst N.E.W.T.s subject, her hair was frazzled and I am pretty sure the thought she was going to be eaten alive by a tiny plant. I was comical and cute all at the same time. It was when she looked at me with those pleading eyes that I knew that I would do anything for her." He says. I smile at this side of Henry. It was very rare to see it and I knew he was only doing it to help me.

"That's beautiful." I say quietly. He smiles but there was a bit of sadness to it.

"But it doesn't help you." He says.

"It does, but doesn't at the same time." I admit. "How do you tell your best friend that you don't love them the same way?" I ask him. He frowns knowing that this was something I would have to face and I knew he didn't have the answer to it.

* * *

"Welcome Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Professor Dumbledore says from the front of the Great Hall. Everyone looks up at him and the chatter quiets down. "I would like to make a few announcements. This year not only will Hogwarts be your home, but home to some guest as well. I would first like to introduce to you to our brothers from the north, the sons of Durmstrang and their Headmaster Igor Karkaroff." Dumbledor introduces and the double doors leading to the Entrance Hall open up and the guys come running in. Some of the guys were doing acrobatics and others holding sticks that sparked as they tapped them against the floor. It was rather intimidating. Following the guys with the tapping sticks was Christian and Jules, then followed by a older looking man, presuming to be Kakaroff, and Victor Krum, which got a lot of murmurs throughout the hall. I was mostly excited to see Christian, which when he passed by me he locked eyes with me gave me a small smirk and winked at me. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. The guys with the sticks made fire like dragons emerge from them and the dragons gave a great roar before fizzling out. The Headmasters hug like old friends before Dumbledore returns to his podium. The guys of Durmstrang take their seats at the Slytherin table.

"Well they are all already corrupted by just sitting there." Henry says with a smirk and I chuckle.

"And next I would like to introduces the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy, and their Headmistress Madame Maxime." Dumbledore announces and the doors open again to see a parade of silk blue and girls that walked as though they were trying a little to hard to show off every aspect of their body. They stopped and sighed and batted their eye lashes as they let off little fluttering paper butterfly's. They would prance a few feet more and do the same again only to the opposite side. The guys loved it. I rolled my eyes and smacked either guy beside me, Henry to my left and Cedric to my right, upside their heads for practically drooling.

"Ow, what was that for?" Henry asks rubbing the back of his head.

"You both have girlfriends, you should be ashamed of yourselves." I say disapprovingly shaking my head in the process.

"Oh and you were not Ogling Princie over there." Henry remarks referring to me watching Christian.

"That is different, I am not taken." I say and stick my tongue out at him childishly. Henry sticks his tongue out at me too as Cedric stays quiet. Once the girls were seated at the Ravenclaw table Dumbledore goes on to announce they they are visiting due to Hogwarts hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament, something that has not been hosted for over a hundred years.

"To bad its for only people seventeen and over." I comment to Henry with a smirk as we eat our feast for dinner. He glares at me.

"They are picking it _literally_ the day before my birthday." He groans.

"Tough luck mate." Cedric says taking a bit of his chicken leg. I look over at him

"Your not thinking about putting your name in the Goblet are you?" I ask him a bit worried. He looks over at me and smiles.

"Of course I am." he says like it was completely obvious. My face fell and I could feel the worry filling me up.

"Cedric I don't think that is a good idea." I say and his smile fades.

"Why don't you think its a good idea?" He asks.

"Cedric you could seriously get hurt." I comment.

"I can take care of myself Rey, besides you cannot tell me how to live my life." He says throwing what I told him about my dating life in my face. I feel a stab in my chest and the tears threaten to come to my eyes. It was totally uncalled for. These were completely different situations. Me dating a guy did not have me risking my life in some daredevil attempt at attention and One-Thousand galleons.

"I see..." I say trying to compose myself I turn to Henry. "If you will please excuse me." I say trying to prevent myself from my voice breaking but failing at the end. I get up and walk out of the Great Hall quickly. I run up to the Astronomy tower and sit on the edge leaning my head against the cool railing. I didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind me as I quietly sobbed.

"Rey..." I hear someone's voice say to me in almost a whisper. I turn my head shocked of the voice I heard and had to make sure I was placing the voice with the correct person. And I was surprisingly right.

"Come to torment me Draco?" I ask turning around and pacing my forehead on the bar. "It would be a perfect time, easy target and all." I murmur. I hear him sigh and he walks over to me. He sits down beside me.

"No." He says simply. I look over at him. As the tears on my face shift to the way my head is tilted.

"Why are you hear?"

"Why are you questioning it?" He answers my question with his own.

"You are very strange Draco." I comment looking back out over the dark grounds. "You hate me with a passion. You try and torment me at every possible moment. You hate me for your father torturing you for hanging out with me as children, and you treat me like I shouldn't even be breathing the same air you do. Yet you have sent me birthday presents every year since our first year." I say. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the shocked look on his face. He really didn't think I hadn't notice. I look over at him. "The journal you sent me, it was the same color as our eyes, the snake bracelet," I say holding up my arm with the charm bracelet and the snake bracelet on it. "Again same eye colors and the snake represents your house. Last years present." I say and pull out the necklace from beneath my shirt. "A willow. It is a very particular necklace to give to someone if it had no meaning to it. But what I still don't understand is why." I say to him. The tears had stop coming since I had momentarily forgotten about Cedric's rudeness and focused more on Draco's odd behavior. He didn't look at me.

"My father spent weeks giving me the cruciatus curse. Drilling it in my head that everything about you and your family was wrong. I was very sure of that when I stepped on the train at King's Cross station our first year. But I and my father was wrong. I knew that the moment I saw you by the boats. But I couldn't let anyone know that. It would get back to my father and he would torture me again. So I did the only thing I knew would please him. I hurt you." Draco admits to me.

"Draco forgive me for sounding rude but that is a load of crap and you know it." I say looking back out across the school grounds. He looks over at me.

"It's not Rey. Believe what you want, but its not. To be honest with you, I hate what Diggory has done to you." He says and I feel tears coming back to my eyes at the mention of my friends name.

"Cedric has done nothing." I say my voice cracking a bit.

"Says the weeping girl." Draco says and punch his shoulder. "Ow, your very violent." he comments and I smirk slightly.

"Cedric hasn't done anything to me." I reply now without a break in my voice.

"He holds you back Rey." He comments. I look over at him confused so he elaborates. "When you go to make a decision while around him you always glance at him to see his reaction. You only would go to and from class for a month after the first Hogsmeade trip last year only because he was so upset with you for going with someone else. And you refused to open up completely to that Danish prince guy at the world cup because you knew Cedric would disapprove. You are to loyal to a guy who is very possessive of you and honestly its a bit unhealthy." Draco muses. He gets up and holds out his hand for me and I look up at him.

"Your not going to throw me off the tower right?" I ask with a small smile. He rolls his eyes but smirks catching onto my joke.

"Well I wasn't thinking about it but that is a idea that can grow on me." I glare at him but take his hand and he helps me up.

"Thank you, I know you will go back to hating me after we leave here, I wont take it to personally." I say with a small smile.

"I have never hated you Rey." He says.

"Still don't believe you." I comment. He smiles.

"I honestly don't blame you." He says. He walks with me too the bottom of the stairs and opens the door for me I walk out and we part ways. When I got to the portal to the Hufflepuff common room Henry is waiting outside for me. He seemed worried and when he spots me he comes up and hugs me.

"You okay?" He asks pulling out of the hug. I nod my head and give him a sad smile.

"I am fine." I say.

"Promise not to be mad at me?" He asks and I look at him a bit confused.

"Why would I be mad at you?" I ask him.

"Well, I kind of gave Cedric a black eye and a bloody lip, and now he is refusing to talk to me, you, or Tina." He says. I nod my head. I was hurt, yes, but at the same time I realized that Henry was my protective big brother. He stood up for me, even to his best friend. But he wasn't possessive like Draco had described Cedric. I smile up at him and hug him again. He is a bit surprised by this but then hugs back.

"Thank you, for standing up for me." I say with a small smile that was not sad like most all the others ones I had made tonight. He smiles down at me.

"Anytime." He says sincerely. He gave me the password and we both headed to our respectable dorms to tired out from the days events to stay up any longer.


	7. Chapter 6

***Quick Note*Hey everyone! I am so sorry I have not updated quicker, My cat had kittens last Sunday, 6 of them, and i was super sick! The kittens are still adorable and distract me at times, but i am no longer sick soooooo i am hoping to get the next chapter out quicker! I hope that you enjoy, i know the spelling and grammar might not be that good, but please ANY reviews or comments are appreciated! I am so glad that people have enjoyed it so far and I hope that it still perks your interest and you will continue to enjoy it!**

Chapter 6:

It was like the weather was tuned to my mood. It was raining out, really raining. I had come to hang out with Hermione more, since the start of school, in turn I started to hand out with Harry and Ron more as well. I still hung out with Tina and Henry a lot as well, but they were a couple, I didn't want to hang on them at all time. Cedric had not even looked in our direction since the opening feast. He had created a group of what we like to call a fan club. Mostly Cho's friends that she approved of. Hermione was a great friend though. She didn't ask what happened, though, it seemed everyone in the school knew what happened, or what the rumors said.

Draco had not said anything, it was so uncharacteristic of him that a rumor was going around about how Cedric refused to talk to me because of Draco and I having a secret affair and he had found out about it. Which of course was not true. Cho had started it, she wasn't exactly subtle about it. I didn't let it get to me and the people who mattered knew the truth, that was all that mattered to me.

"Why did we pick the Great Hall to study in its so noisy now that the cup is on display here." Hermione grumbled. I smile while withholding my laughter.

"Because you wanted to get away from Victory Krum in the Library and its poring out so the lawns would not be able to hold us while we study." I comment as Angela Johnson from Gryffindor places her name in the Goblet of Fire located in the middle of the hall and it accepts it.

"I would have been okay with Krum staring at me if I had known it was going to be this noisy." She says. I laugh.

"But his fan girls that followed him would annoyed you to no end and we would be having the conversation about how dimwitted the girls are for parading around like buffoons." I say using words that Hermione had already called his fan girls. She rolled her eyes as the group of Durmstrang guys followed Victor Krum in.

"Speaking of the devil." Hermione says a bit annoyed. She watches as Victor Krum places his name in the Goblet their eyes locking as he does. His friends that followed him in all cheered loudly for him and Hermione sighs annoyed at the noise, and I think I hear giggles emitted from the girls in the corner.

"Would you hate me if I wanted to study in my common room?" Hermione asks me I smile and shake my head no. There were shouts and whooping coming form the outside corridor and in came a group of Hogwarts guys in yellow and blue robes surrounding someone, being very loud and rowdy. They open up when they reach the age line for the Goblet but the person they surrounded carried on. Cedric crossed the age line with a smirk. I feel my face fall and tears start to come to my eyes. He didn't even care how I felt, and, as if reading my mind, without a second thought he placed his name in the Goblet and it had accepted him.

"Rey..." Hermione asks. She knew how I felt about Cedric placing his name in the Goblet. Her Tina and Henry all knew. Cedric's 'friends' as he called him now cheered. Cedric looks over to me and his cocky grin faltered.

"Hermione, if you will please excuse me." I say standing up. I set my potions book on the bench and step down from where we are sitting before exiting the Great Hall as Fred and George run past me. I run in no particular direction and I soon find myself in the Quidditch training pitch, which was roofed. It was currently not being used since Quidditch was canceled this year for the Teri-Wizard tournament. I run over to the Hufflepuff broom cupboard and pull out my broom. I mount it and rise up in the air. I fly around lazily for a bit. Trying to avoid the pain of knowing that Cedric really did not care about how I felt.

Draco had opened up my mind that night when he told me Cedric was holding me back. In a way Draco was right, Cedric was holding me back, but in other ways he was wrong, Cedric had helped me learn so much especially between second and third year. But in the past year he has proven to me a side of him that is possessive, like Draco had said, and when I denied him he lashed out. Not right away in a sense but the final straw was when I went to show concern for him and his well being he basically threw how I felt for him in my face.

As I slowly fly back around towards the entrance of the training pitch I notice someone standing their, I could only tell who it was by their blonde hair. I fly down and land a few feet from him. I look at him and he doesn't say anything.

"Who are you hiding from?" I ask him.

"Who said I was hiding from anyone?" He asks.

"Why else would you have come here?" I ask him. He sighs.

"Fine I am hiding from Pansy." He admits.

"Trouble in paradise?" I ask amused. He gives me a glare but it wasn't heartfelt.

"What about you?" He asks.

"Cedric." I say. He nods. He either didn't need and explanation or didn't want an explanation.

"If you let him get to you like this he is still controlling you." Draco says.

"I know Draco, I do. Can we not talk about that though?" I ask him. He nods his head. "Want to race?" I ask changing subject.

"What?" He he asks confused.

"Want to race? I mean unless you don't think you can beat me." I say with a smirk.

"It's on Nethers." He says going to the Slytherin broom cupboard and grab his broom. I pull out my wand and summon rings for us to have to pass through for obstetrical to make the race more interesting. Mine was yellow and Draco's was green.

"How do I know that you didn't cheat and put up and obstetrical you already know?" Draco asks coming up next to me and mounting his broom. I put my wand away.

"Looks like you will just have to trust me Draco." I say shrugging and with a smirk. I mount my broom and we both kick off and hover equal to our first ring. "We need to get fifty rings, the first to fifty wins. Want to count us down?" I ask him he smirks.

"Three... Two..." But before he gets to one he takes off. "Go!" He yells back to me. I take off after him. I knew he would do that. We both swerve and travel though hoops once we passed through one another one would appear. Draco wasn't far ahead of me for long. We were neck and neck and playfully shoving one another and actually laughing.

"Remember I was the one who taught you to fly." Draco yells over to me. "I didn't even show you half the tricks I know!"

"You were eight! You had no tricks!" I yell back and laugh as we continue to race. After we both flew though our forty-ninth ring and the fiftieth was down at the other end of the pitch.

"This is were you separate the best from the losers." He yells.

"Your going to be eating those words Draco!" I yell. We race to the very end and as we cross my ring explodes in confetti signaling I won. We both land a moment later.

"You cheated." He says and I laugh.

"Says the guy who took off before me." I say as we place our brooms in their respected cupboards.

"Yes well I was being a gentleman and letting you win." He says and I laugh.

"Great joke Draco, a Malfoy being a gentleman and you letting me win." I say and he smirks. As we both head to the entrance of the pitch.

"I can be a gentlemen you know." He says. Though it had a joking ring to it the way he delivered it meant he wanted me to believe him.

"I am sure you could if you really had to." I say with a smile. We both hear a throat clear and stop in our tracks. We had been so concentrated on one another and our conversation that we didn't notice Cedric at the entrance. We both look at him at the same time to see him glaring at me.

"So the rumors are true you are sneaking around with _him_." Cedric says glancing quickly at Draco.

"You haven't said anything to me in almost a month and the first thing that comes out of your mouth is an accusation?" I ask.

"Well what am I suppose to think when you and him are acting all chummy?" He asks.

"It honestly doesn't matter what the hell you think Diggory." Draco says next to me.

"Keep out of this Malfoy this is between Rey and me. I know her and she finds you weak and pathetic so really she is pitying you." He says shooting daggers at Draco with his eyes. Draco didn't budge or cower though.

"Okay that is _enough_ Cedric. I am tired of this. You are not going to tell me or anyone else what or how I think. _This_ is _my_ life. I decide how I live, where I go, what I need, who I know, and when the time comes who I love. It is _my_ decision. I don't care about your reaction anymore because they are selfish on your part. If you really cared for me at any time you will be happy for me and my decisions. You told me at the world cup that you understood that I don't like you, was that a lie just to get a chance to kiss me? Well if you want to know it didn't change my view on you. If anything your actions have shown me what an asshole you can be. Now if I make a mistake oh well that is _life. My life._ And if you really believe the stupid rumors your bimbo came up with about me then I was wrong about your level of intelligence. So until you can actually grow up this is good bye." I say and walk around him. I walk out of the pitch and I hear someone walking behind me.

"Wipe the smug look off of your face Draco." I say and stop and turn around to face him once we were away from the training pitch. His stops short of running into me and he is a second to slow from removing the smug look.

"No clue what you are talking about." He says denying my statement with a smirk. His smirk dropped though. "He really kissed you?" He asks and I laugh.

"Yeah it was right before the attack happened. He said he wanted to help me see him differently, well obviously I don't." I say and we start to walk next to each other a bit slower though knowing full well when we got near the main part of the building we wouldn't be able to speak anymore. It was then I realized I was starting to like talking with Draco again. I sigh and stop, he stops just in front of me.

"What's wrong?" He asks turning to look at me.

"You really need to start being mean to me again." I say.

"What if I don't want to?" he asks.

"Draco, life for both of us will be easier if you do. You know as well as I do that we can never really be friends. I don't want to be the reason you get hurt again." I say looking down at my feet.

"Rey. I don't blame you for what he did." He says. "You did nothing wrong." I feel my eyes water. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off of me and the relief of it overwhelmed me. I know others had said that too, but for me to hear him say it to me was different in a way. But part of me feared he was lying.

"Please don't lie to me." I say to him as I look up and lock eyes with him. A tear escaping my eye.

"I promise from this day forward I will never lie to you again." He says.

"If you break this promise I am never trusting you again." I say. He gives me a half smile.

"Can we be friends again?" He asks.

"Draco you and I both know your father would not approve."

"He doesn't have to know."

"People will talk he will find out."

"People don't have to know."

"Gosh your annoying you know that?" I ask him and he smirks. I sigh. "Fine, just start hating me in public again." I say he holds out his hand.

"Deal." He says and shakes it once. "Go ahead and go on. We will start our hate war tomorrow." He says. I nod my head and pass him and several paces away I stop. I turn around and go back to hug him. He was hesitate but slowly wraps his arms around me as well to hug back. I turn and head for the Hufflepuff common room.

* * *

True to his word Draco and I went back to fighting and the rumors of him and I dating and secretly being together dissipated. For Draco unfortunately Pansy did not stop clinging to him. Draco and I only seen each other alone again once, which was studying in the library very late on a Saturday, before the champion selections was done on Halloween. I sat next to Hermione and the other Gryffindor's.

"I really hope Cedric doesn't get it." I say quietly to Hermione, Harry, was sitting on my left must have heard me too.

"I am sure he would be brilliant though." Harry comments. I nod my head the pit of my stomach still turning. Dumbledore walks up to the cup and it starts changing from its blue color, that it has been for the past two months, to red before it shoots out a paper from it. Dumbledore catches it.

"The champion from Beauxbatons Academy, Fleur Delacour!" He announces. A very pretty blonde girl stands up and giggles and smiles with he friends before going into the trophy room behind the teachers table. A few moments later another paper shoots up in the air. "The Champion from Durmstrang, Victor Krum!" Dumbledore announces. There is a roar of cheer from the Slytherin table where the Durmstrang guys were sitting. Hermione takes my hand knowing that next would be the Hogwarts champion.

"If he gets it, I will be happy for him." I say quietly. Harry takes my other hand and squeezes it. I give him a small smile in thanks. The fire shoots up again and a paper flutters down.

"The Hogwarts champion, Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore yells. A roar comes from the guys at the Hufflepuff table from Cedric's new friends. I close my eyes tight to prevent the tears from coming. When I open them I look for Tina and Henry. They are clapping but have worried expressions on their faces. Harry and Hermione let go of my hands to clap politely for him. Once Cedric is out of the Great hall Dumbledore starts to make his closing speech, showing us all the Tri-Wizard Cup. But then the goblet of fire starts to burn red again. Another name is shot out of the cup and everyone looks confused. Dumbledore grabs the paper. He says the name though not loud enough for us to hear, then he yells. "Harry Potter!"

"Harry go." Hermione whispers to him and tries to push him up from beside me. He gets up, unsure if he heard correctly. I watch as Harry walks up.

"He's a Cheat!" One of Cedric's friends yells.

"He isn't even seventeen!" Another from Ravenclaw yells.

"Hermione this doesn't make sense, the Goblet isn't suppose to spit out more then three." I whisper to her.

"I know, and you and I both know that Harry wouldn't have been able to trick it into doing that." She whispers to me. I nod me head. We are all dismissed back to our common rooms rather quickly. I decided I did not want to partake in the obvious party that was about to get thrown in honor of Cedric. I head up to my dorm and head to bed.

* * *

The results of Harry getting into the Tri-Wizard tournament were very negative through the school. it seemed the only people who believed him were a select few Gryffindor's (the Weasley twins, Ginny, Hermione, and a few I didn't know) Henry, Tina, and myself. Of course Draco knew Harry didn't do it but he acted as though Harry did put his name in and wouldn't stop tormenting Harry.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Draco asks me following me out of the library the night before my birthday. I don't say anything to him and keep walking. He sighs frustrated and steps in front of me cutting me off. "Rey what did I do?" He asks me.

"You are making Harry's life more miserable then it needs to be." I say a bit irritated.

"So this is about Saint Potter?" He questions me.

"No this is about Harry Potter. He is a nice guy and you treat him like crap just because daddy says so." I sneer at him.

"I don't do thing's because my father tells me to." Draco says the tips of his ears going red with anger.

"Then what is holding you back from being a decent human being? You do everything your father tells you because you are afraid that you will not be worthy in his eyes."

"If that were true I wouldn't be friends with you." He comments. I glare at him.

"Really Draco? Because to anyone other then you and I we hate each other. Why? That's right so you can get great appraisal from your father who hates me because my view of the world is different. Don't try and say that you being my friend is you going against him because the only way it would count is if he knew." I say.

"And what about you? You don't tell anyone why? Ashamed to admit you actually are my friend?" I feel hurt by this.

"Because if the wrong people find out then you are going to get hurt Draco. The one person I thought I trusted more then anything ended up hurting me, I don't have trust in anyone else. Why would I tell someone something that could potentially end up hurting you? Despite my hating you for hurting me for almost four years doesn't mean I ever stopped caring for your well being." I say to him. The anger in my voice was replaced with hurt. Draco sighs.

"Look I am sorry." He apologizes, which was uncharacteristic of him. Considering I was the only one he really ever apologized to I took it as sincere which I believed he was. "But you cannot ask me to be nice to Potter." Draco says. I roll my eyes and turn around and start to walk away. "Rey..."

"Stop Draco." I say turning back around and facing him. "Somebody will see us talking. I accept your apology. I am going to bed." I say and turn back around and walk away.

* * *

"The first task is Dragons?" I ask Harry as we walk back from Hagrid's Hut together. It was the week before the first task now. My birthday had passed. The charm on my bracket was that of stone, a Lapis Lazuli. At first I was confused as to why I had a stone like this on my bracelet, it didn't make any sense. Then a few days ago Luna Lovegood noticed it and commented that Lapis Lazuli is an ancient stone said to represent friendship and truth and is believed to help bring about harmony in relationships. It is also the stone of wisdom and awareness. Then it all made sense to me why that stone was my charm this year. Draco had gotten me a beautiful, and expensive, sapphire earning set, there were studs that I was able to wear every day, and also a pair of dangling sapphire earrings as well.

"Yes Dragons, Rey I need to find Cedric. I am sure that Victor and Flure would have known what the first task was ages ago. It's only right." Harry says and I nod.

"I will help you find him." I say. People were wearing badges now that said Potter Stinks. And would change to Cedric Rules. I found it disgusting. "It's amazing how blindly someone will follow something or someone just because everyone else does." I comment as we pass by some girls that were laughing at us wearing the badges. They stop laughing and sneer at me.

"Yeah well I try to ignore it." Harry comments getting more peeved as more people laughed and taunted him. We found Cedric in the Transfiguration's Courtyard.

"Can I have a word with you?" Harry asks Cedric. Cedric looks genuinely surprised to see both me and Harry there. His friends jeer at Harry and I glare at them.

"Um, Sure." Cedric says. He gets up and walks with Harry a bit away from his friends.

"Aw why so sad Nethers, Cedric not like you anymore?" One of the guys jeer at me. I pay them no attention.

"I wouldn't want to stay around her either. I mean we all know he wanted her for one thing only and she wouldn't put out. She's nothing but a little tease." He comments and I glare at him. He was in Ravenclaw and undoubtedly a seventh year that Cho selected for Cedric to hang out with. I turn away from them and face the opposite direction of them

"Is that so Nethers? Are you nothing but a tease?" One of the Hufflepuff guys say from just behind me and he grabs and squeezes my butt. I jump away quickly. But as I spin around and whip my wand out to defend myself and face them, my face red from embarrassment, I see a fist collide with the side of the guys head.

"What the Hell were you thinking touching her like that." A very angry Cedric says to the guys. I had never seen him this angry before.

"Oh come on Cedric she's just a dried up old prude who is obviously obsessed with you." One of the guys say trying to justify their actions.

"I don't want to see any of you near her or near me again. Do you understand?" He asks still seething.

"Dude your going to drop us for her? She's worthless." Cedric punched the guy in the face.

"She's worth more then any of you lot combined and multiplied." He says and walks back up to me, I was standing their in shock. "Come on." He says grabbing my upper arm and leading me away from the Transfiguration court yard. I look back for Harry but I am not able to see him. We walk in silence for what seems like forever and he leads me down to the lake. He lets go of my arm and walks a few feet in front of me before he stops. He is breathing heavy, probably still angry from what they did. After a few minutes, and him calming down, Cedric turns to me.

"Hey." He says.

"Um, hey." I say not sure what to say to him. He takes a few minutes more trying to figure out what to say.

"I'm sorry Rey. I have been a complete ass to you. You were right, at the pitch. I have been selfish, and an asshole, and rather stupid. I know its your life Rey, and I know that you are going to make your own choices. I am not going to be a romantic choice, I know that, but, I hope I haven't lost the chance to be the choice of your best friend." He says I could always tell when he was telling the truth or lying. He was telling the truth. "But it doesn't change my feelings for you. I am always going to love you. And in loving you I am going to be happy for you no matter who you end up loving, even if it is Malfoy." He says. I look at him confused.

"Cedric please don't tell me you still believe that god awful rumor?" I ask him. He smiles.

"No, I am just saying even if you end up loving someone as awful as him, as long as you are happy, and the guy treats you right, I will be happy for you." He says. I smile and close the distance between Cedric and I. I hug him tightly and he responds instantly with a hug.

"These last two and a half months have been Hell." I mumble into his robes and I can hear him laugh.

"I am sure Potter isn't that bad of company." Cedric says and I pull out of the hug

"Oh no Harry is very nice, I have just been really sad without you. But I should get back to hanging out with Harry, He needs all the support he can get right now." I say backing away from Cedric.

"But we just became friends again." Cedric says.

"Yes, but you have two more people to apologize to, not so sure they will be as accepting, you might need to work harder for them. Plus you have to figure out how to fight a dragon and you have three years on Harry." I say with a smile. He gives me a smile as well as I turn to head back up to the castle.

* * *

"How is he?" I ask Hermione as she takes a seat next to me in the stands. It was the day of the first task and Hermione had just whet and visited Harry quickly before the start.

"He's nervous." She comments just as nervous. I had to admit I was nervous too. I was nervous for both Harry and Cedric.

"He is fourteen and facing a dragon of course he is nervous, heck I am nervous for him." Henry says to me. The Canon sounds and the first dragon. A Swedish Short-Snout enters the arena from a gated area it has a chain around its leg to prevent it from flying away but it was long enough to move around in the arena. Cedric steps out onto the rocky field.

"Oh Merlin I cannot watch." I say and bury my head in Henry's shoulder. I hear a roar and gasps then a dogs bark. I look onto the field to see that Cedric had transfigured a bolder into a dog, and the giant dog was running around the arena. The dragon was distracted by it and chasing it trying to catch it. The dog, despite being a rock, was very clever in avoiding the dragon. While the dragon was distracted by the dog Cedric started to climb the rocks for the golden egg. He almost touched it when the Dragon turned its attention back to Cedric. My eyes widen in horror as the dragon roared and then shot fire at Cedric.

"CEDRIC!" I scream in worry as he falls down the side of the rock and out of the way of the dragon. The transfigured dog, in all its bravery, attacked the dragon to distract it again which it worked. Cedric claimed up the rocks again, part of his face showing burnt and retrieved the golden egg. The second Cedric's hand touched the egg the dragon fell asleep. The crowd cheered but I couldn't Cedric got hurt. I moved passed Hermione and Ron and down the stairs of that platform and run to the champions tent.

"Miss. Nethers, what do you think you are doing?" Professor Snape says from in front of the entrance of the Champions tent.

"Please sir, Cedric's been hurt, I just want to see him.

"You will be able to see him after all the Champions have taken their turn." Snape says.

"But Sir."

"Miss. Nethers unless you want me to take house points away then I suggest that you return to watching the task." Snape says. I glare at him.

"You said I couldn't see him professor, not that I couldn't stay here until you let me in. So no I will not go back to watching the task." I say standing there folding my arms over my chest. He narrows his eyes at me. I stand there silent staring at him. After a few minutes he finally sighs and gives in.

"Fine just don't talk to anyone." He says annoyed and pulls back the tent flap for me to enter. I smile.

"Thank you. Always knew I was your favorite student." I say and walk past him quickly before he could dock points from me for saying that. I see Victor waiting to be called.

"Victor do you know where Cedric is?" I ask him. He looks up to me, he looked worried, and a bit happy to have a distraction.

"They have him over there in the hospital section." He says.

"Thank you, and good luck." I say with a sincere smile. He gives me a nod as I head to the 'hospital section'. Before I can step though Madam Pomfrey steps though the flap.

"Miss. Nethers what are you doing in here? Get back to the stands." She scolds.

"But Professor Snape let in to see Cedric." I say trying to see past her.

"He is resting." She says.

"Can I sit with him then?" I ask.

"Ms. Nethers..."

"Please?" I ask. "I think I might have something that can help if you let me." I say. She analyzes me for a moment.

"Fine I will give you two minutes to show me how you can help." She says. I enter to see Cedric asleep on the bed, she must have given him a sleeping draft so he wouldn't feel the pain of the solvent that she placed on his face to heal him quicker then normal. She had placed bandages over it to help keep it covered and cleaned. I slowly removed the bandage and placed my hand gently over his face where he was burnt. I close my eyes and wish the burn away. When I opened my eyes and pull my hands away the burn was gone, but a scar still remained. That was something I knew I wouldn't be able to get rid of.

"Miss. Nethers how did you do that?" Madam Pomfrey asks me.

"I am not sure, I mean, ever since I was younger I was very good at healing physical wounds." I admit honestly.

"Does anyone know of this?" She asks and I shake my head no. I hadn't really told anyone I was able to do it now without it being hard. I hadn't done it a lot and who I have healed were unconscious. Well other then Draco when we were seven but I am sure he couldn't possibly remember that. "Have you ever thought of becoming a Healer after Hogwarts?" She asks me. I shake my head no.

"Do you really think I would be a good Healer?" I ask her.

"You have very rare gift Miss. Nethers. I think that you can become and exceptional Healer. And, if you would like to do that in life, with your permission I want to ask Professor Dumbledore to start mentoring you." She says. I look at her surprised.

"I will think about it." I say with a small smile. She nods her head.

"You can stay with Mr. Diggory." She says as Flure comes in from fighting her dragon and she goes to assist the limping girl. I grab a chair and pull it up next to Cedric's bed and sit there and think. I had never thought about my future until this point. I sit there and look off into the distance as I think about what Madam Pomfrey said. I thought about my future.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

"If I hear one more squeal about this stupid ball I am going to blow that person up." Draco says sitting down next to me in the back section of the library late one Saturday night in December. Within the last week we had learned that on Christmas we were going to be hosting the Yule Ball and it was for years four and up. Draco was instantly forced to ask Pansy and he just had to do it. I had yet to be asked.

"You were the one that had asked her. Now you need to live with the consequences." I say not looking up at him as I continue my charms essay. I could feel his annoyed stair without even having to look up.

"Why are you not as excited about it?" He asks me. I look up at him.

"I am excited about it. I just have priorities, like school for example, they are giving us an extra week off this year so we can go home and see our families. That means and extra week of school work. I would like to get it done before the Holidays start." I say and return back to my essay.

"You are becoming more like that mudblood every day." He says casually. I stop writing and look up at him with a warning look.

"What did you just say?" I ask him.

"Um... You are becoming more like that mudblood every day." He says. "Are you not paying attention to me?" He asks. I stand up and close my book. "What are you doing?" he asks.

"Look Hermione is one of my closest friends. I would appreciate it if you didn't insult her when I was around." I say as I shove my book in my bag. I close my ink bottle and put that and my quill back into it as well along with my paper.

"There you go again trying to change me. Why can you not like me for the perfection I already am?" He asks.

"Your more of a pig then I thought if you think that you are perfection." I comment and pull my bag over my shoulder.

"Yet I am able to get any woman I want." He comments. I roll my eyes.

"Draco if looks are the only thing you think makes a person perfect then you have problems."

"So you admit I look good?" He asks with a smirk.

"I never said that."

"You never denied it."

"You want to know what I really think? You have moments where you do look good, but most of the time you look ugly." I say and walk away.

"Wait what does that mean?" He asks. I turn and walk backwards without missing a beat.

"Figure it out." I say and turn back around. I hear is sigh in frustration as he follows me.

"Why am I even friends with you?" He mumbles. Which it kind of hurt for him to say that.

"Look if you don't want to be my friend then fine go be with your friends. Its easier anyways right? Look at me I am Draco Malfoy I take the easy route in life. I get things given to me and I never have to work for them because I am lazy like that. I just let everyone order me around because its easier." I comment mad at him.

"What I do not take the easy life!" He says angry at me.

"Really, Pansy gave you no choice of who to go with she chose for you and it was her, your father tells you jump and you say how high, your mother tells you how to dress and you..."

"Rey..." Cedric says coming up to Draco and I. I stop my rant at Draco and look to Cedric. "Come on that's enough. It's near curfew and I don't want you to get in trouble." He says. I was still fuming at Draco and his attitude. I didn't move so Cedric grabbed my arm and pulled me along.

"Why did you do that?" I ask Cedric when we get into our common room.

"Because no one deserve your tongue lashings not even a Malfoy." He says. I go to open my mouth. "You are to insightful sometimes Rey, and you have a tendency to not hold your tongue when you go into your rants. If you and him are friends whatever you were about to say would have ruined it." he says.

"I think that I have already did the damage," I say and sigh. "I thought that maybe I could help him become a more decent person, but he is still the same Draco as before."

"You are not able to change anyone Rey. You inspire people to change. And I am not so sure you want Draco to change that much. Be a bit more decent yes, but I know you Rey. I know that you wouldn't have become friends with him again if you didn't like who he was before and is now." He says and I sigh. He was right. Despite Draco being highly annoying, his arrogance was a bit charming at times. "I'm going to head to bed I will see you tomorrow." Cedric says and heads up to his dorm.

* * *

"I have to tell you something." Hermione says coming up to me in the Great Hall. I had just walked in and was already being ambushed.

"Okay, what is going on?" She pulls me over to her seat and sat me across from her at the Gryffindor table away from people.

"You cannot tell a living soul." She whispers. I nod my head. "Victor Krum asked me to the Yule Ball, and I said yes." She says. My eyes bug out.

"But I thought that you don't like him. He and his fan club annoy you."

"Yes I thought so too. But he told me that the only reason why he came to the Library was so that he could see me. He has had the hardest time asking me out because he was unsure how to approach me." She says excited. I smile for her. "Has anyone asked you yet?" She asks I shake my head no.

"I guess that no one wants to ask me." I say.

"I am sure one guy will ask you. I am surprised Cedric didn't" Hermione said.

"He asked Cho, They were fighting up until he asked her. And of course..."

"You just assumed!" I hear Tina yell. I look over at the Hufflepuff table where she once was seated next to Henry and across from Cedric.

"Oh no..." I mumble.

"You should probably go check on that." Hermione says. I get up and go over to them.

"Hey guys is everything okay?" I ask.

"No, nothing is okay, my boyfriend just assumed that I was going with him to the dance he doesn't have the decency to actually ask me. Well you know what happens when you just assume things? You look like the first three letters of that word, you look like and ASS!" She says fuming.

"Fine if its that important to you then will you go to he bloody dance with me woman?" Henry asks annoyed.

"No I will find someone else to go with and so should you." She says stepping over the bench and leaves.

"But... what just happened?" I ask the two guys. The both shrug.

"You are a girl, can you figure that out?" Henry asks. We see Tina walk up to one of the guys from Durmstrang and link arms with him and walk off.

"I think that she is hurt because she wanted to be asked out properly instead of just being expected to know that you wanted to go with her... I think. I've never really ever been on a date before." I say.

"What about with Weasley last year?" Cedric asks.

"That wasn't really a date Cedric, it was a way for Tina to prove to me that you liked me. And it worked." I say.

"Well since I am obviously not going with my girlfriend, Rey would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" Henry asks.

"So you want me to go as your back up date?" I ask. I wasn't offended by it I actually found it quite amusing.

"You should go as someone's first choice not as a backup." Cedric says. I laugh.

"Cedric the ball is two weeks away at this point I would be anyone's second choice. No one has asked me."

"You can thank Cedric for that one." Henry mumbles and takes a bite of his food. I look between the guys.

"What?" I ask.

"Really Henry?" Cedric asks then sighs and looks at me. "I may or may not have threatened a few guys life when they were trying to ask you out." He admits. My eyes narrow

"Before I become super pissed, yes Henry I will go with you to the ball. As for you Cedric..." I pause. "I told you, it's my life. I'm not sure what you do not understand about that."

"Rey I..."

"Save it Cedric." I say walking away.

* * *

"Reyneen Nethers!" Tina yells at me down the Charms hallways a few days later. I turn to look at her she looks mad. "How could you say yes to going with Henry?" She asks me when she gets to me.

"Tina you literally told him to go with someone else, he asked me." I say.

"Oh so he will ask you but not me." She says annoyed.

"Tina he did ask you, maybe not in the nicest of ways but he did and you said no." I comment.

"You should have said no! Now how am I suppose to make him jealous?" She asks.

"You do realize that he is going with me right? I am pretty sure he asked me because he has no intention of hurting you. You know as well as I do Henry views me as a sister. Maybe you should not be such a bitch about this and apologize." I say.

"I am not being a bitch about this!"

"You are trying to make him jealous for being a guy, he probably felt like you were smart enough to know that he and you were going together that he didn't have to ask."

"So he didn't think I was worth asking?"

"I am not sure what he was thinking. But obviously he thought you were worth dating." I say.

"Hey Rey, Tina." George Weasley says coming up to the two of us.

"Hi George." I say giving him a smile.

"Um.. Rey I was wondering if you would like to go to the ball with me?" George asks.

"Oh... George, I am sorry, Henry asked me and I said..."

"Ugh I will go make up with the idiot." Tina interrupts me."Go ahead." she says nodding towards George. She turns around and leaves. I look back to George who looks confused and amused.

"I think I am okay to say yes I will go with you." I say.

"What was that about?" He asks.

"Long story short, Tina got mad at Henry for not asking her to the dance and just assuming they would go together since they are dating. Then Tina told him to ask someone else, he asked me since no one else had asked me. Then I found out no one asked me because Cedric fighting them off, and I think slightly to help Henry so he didn't do something stupid and to spite Cedric, I said yes. And I think Tina just told me she is going to go with Henry, I am not sure I am confused. But if I am free to go I definitely would like to go with you." I say. He laughs.

"Okay well, I have to go, oh and stay away from the Defense Against the Dark Arts hallway." He warns.

"Why?"

"Oh you will hear, or see." He says with a smirk before walking off.

* * *

"How do I look?" Hermione asks me doing a circle in her pink dress. It was the night of the Yule Ball and Hermione had asked me to get ready with her in her dormitory. We were running a bit behind, the other girls had already left.

"You look amazing Hermione. Victor will love it." I say as I apply a very light blush to my face. My dress was a navy blue that was very flowing. From about the mid calf to the bottom of the skirt it changes from the navy blue to white. It was one strap that went over my right shoulder. I was wearing the blue dangling earnings that Draco had got me for my birthday and my parents had sent me a necklace for Christmas that would match my dress. Hermione helped me with my hair it was half up, the half that was up was breaded from the front to the ponytail. In between the brads were navy colored flowers, I stand up. I had already done Hermione's hair before she went and changed into her dress.

"You go ahead and I will meet you down there." She says with a smile. I nod my head. I walk to the Great Hall alone. I was one of the last ones there. I see George, Fred and Angelina Johnson waiting at the doors to the Great Hall.

"Hey everyone." I say as I approach them. George had noticed me before I had walked up to them and looked like he was in shock.

"Hello Reyneen, you look lovely." Angelina says to me I smile.

"Thank you so do you Angelina." I say.

"You may be my brothers date Angelina but you are wrong," George says snapping out of his shock and turning on his charm. "Rey is much more then lovely. Even Aphrodite would be jealous of her beauty." He says and I blush as he takes my hand and kisses it.

"That is just sickening." I hear Draco say as he walks past us with a very smug looking Pansy. He glanced to see who George was talking to then does a double take and actually looks at me.

"Let me guess its sickening because its sweet? Or its sickening that you are not able to say it about your date?" George says in a proud and smug sort of way.

"George be nice. It's not his fault that the only person that would go with him would be the desperate slut of Slytherin." I say and I get snickers from Fred, George, and Angelina. Draco and Pansy glares at me.

"Says the girl that couldn't even be a persons first choice for the dance." Draco says.

"Not that its any of your business Malfoy, she was my first choice." George says looping his arm with mine. "Now come along Rey, lets not dirty ourselves with slim like him." George says and leads me into the Great Hall.

The Hall was beautifully decorated in a frost theme. Icicles were hanging and the icicles had fire flicking from the top of them working as candles and lighting the room. The floor, though it was not, was enchanged to look like ice and the walls were decorated in white snowflakes, there was a gentle snowfall enchanted in the ceiling.

"Rey!" I hear my name being called and look over to see Tina in a sun yellow dress. She runs up to me and hugs me.

"You look great Tina." I say with a smile.

"So do you. Would you guys like to sit with us?" She asks referring to George, Fred, Angelina, and I. I look to everyone else and we all agree to sit with them. When the Champions, with their dates, enter the hall we all stand and clap for them. They take their seats at the front table where the headmasters and headmistress were sitting. When they sit everyone else in the hall sits. Everyone's plates are suddenly filled with food. Mine was filled with mashed potato and gravy, macaroni and cheese and ham. George had stake, baked potato with bacon bites, cheese, and sour cream along with peas. As I looked around the table I noticed everyone had something different.

"Everyone got their favorite foods." Tina remarked and I smiled as I took my spoon and scooped up my macaroni and cheese. The dinner was amazing and desert, which mine was vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup and sprinkles, was just as good. Our table was probably the loudest in the hall we chattered and laughed and had a really good time. Soon the champions take the floor. Cho giving the crowd a smirk as she took Cedric's hand and the dance began.

"Do you think she even notices how she looks really snobby?" Tina asks me and I laugh. Soon Dumbledore leads professor McGonagall to the floor and they start to dance. Other students start to fall in after that.

"M'lady would you care to join me on the dance floor?" George asks me holding out his hands and bowing slightly I laugh and take his hand. Dispirit being complete goofballs Fred and George were gentlemen. Even if they did over dramatize everything. I take his hand and he leads me to the dance floor. I find that George was actually a great dancer. The music picked up and that was when the dancing got crazy, but it was fun. The Weird Sisters were on stage now and the girls that were fan girls of Victor suddenly became screaming fan girls of the Weird Sisters. George, Fred, Angelina, and I were all near the back dancing like idiots and laughing up a storm. After a while George pulls me off the dace floor.

"Would you like something to drink?" George asks me. I smile and nod my head. He goes and gets us a drink, and I notice the only two people not in a crowd and sitting at a table were Harry and Ron. I walk over to talk to them.

"Not much of dancers?" I ask them. Ron looked peeved but Harry looked in thought.

"No not really." Harry answers me.

"Did you know she betrayed us and came with the enemy?" Ron asks me I look at him confused and then to Harry. Harry mouths Hermione. I look over to her where she is talking happily with Victor and drinking some punch.

"I am not sure I understand Ron." I admit. "I mean I knew that Victor had asked her. But I don't understand what you mean by enemy." I say.

"He's from Durmstrang, he's the enemy." Ron says confidently and venomously.

"Ronald Weasley how dare you? Who was it only a month ago saying that Harry was the enemy and Victor was a hero? Just because Victor was able to see what an amazing and beautiful person Hermione is first does not give you the right to act this way towards him or her." I say annoyed at him.

"Yeah that's what I thought, follow the fame. First it was Cedric, then Harry now on to Victor." He says. "Your just as bad as any fan girl." Ron says.

"You know Ronniekins if I was not in the presence of this beautiful lady I would hurt you, even though you are my brother." George says behind me. I turn and give him a small smile. "Lets go Rey, no one wants to be around him anyways." George hands me a cup and then takes my arms and I stand and walk with him. We talk and laugh and he reassures me I am not what his brother claims I am.

"Rey, I was wondering if maybe you would like to by my girlfriend." George asks me. This took me by surprise.

"Oh, well, can I have a moment to think about it?" I ask him and his face falls. "George, it's is not a no but its not a yes, just can I have a moment to think about it. I will tell you before the nights over." I promised him. He smiles.

"Take all the time you need love." He says.

"Is it okay if I go and think about it for a moment alone?" I ask him. He nods his head yes. We walk to the entrance hall and I walk out into the gardens where it is lit by firefly's and fairies that were flying around. I wander through the maze that was set up and find a bench and sit on it. I was nervous. Yes George was a nice guy and all, but was I ready to try and relationship? Did I like him in that way? He was funny and sweet and charming.

"So the Weasel ditched you already?" Draco asks walking up to me bringing me out of my thoughts. I glance over at him and glare.

"Not that it is any of your business, no he has not. I chose to come out here and think that is all." I reply.

"Think about what?" He asks folding his arms over his chest. I feel my face heating up a little.

"Just things." I say quietly. I knew if I told him he would laugh.

"What things?" He asks being persistent to know what was on my mind.

"Does it matter?" I ask him. He shrugs. I sit there in silence and think and he continues to stare at me.

"I hate to admit that a Weasley was right, but he was right about how you would put even Aphrodite's beauty to shame." Draco finally says to me. I feel my face heat up.

"Even better looking then a Malfoy?" I ask in a joking manner he smirks, but it's not arrogant like most of the time.

"Yes even better looking then a Malfoy." He says seriously. I stand up and walk over to him and give him a hug as a thanks. He instantly responds.

"Thank you." I say we remain in the hug a bit longer then normal then pull apart. "I should head back in and give George his answer." I say. Draco looks at me confused.

"His answer to what?" He asks and I hesitate for a moment, he was going to find out anyways.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend. I told him I needed a moment to think about it, and I have decided." I say as Draco face goes from shock to disgusted to a glare within a few seconds.

"How could you want to be with one of those low lives? You will regret being with him." Draco says in a disgusted voice. I sigh.

"Please Draco don't..."

"No Rey you are to good to be with filth like that." Draco says cutting me off.

"What are you going on about Draco? The Weasley's are great people. I happen to enjoy their company most of the time and George is a perfect gentleman. If anything they are to good to be compared to families like yours." I say.

"You deserve better Rey."

"And who is better for me Draco? You?" I ask him and he shuts his mouth. He doesn't say anything as I see his face start to slowly turn red. I can imagine it is probably from anger. I knew Draco could never like me in that way. "That's what I thought. Now if you will please excuse me I need to go speak with George." I say and walk past him. I head back into the entrance hall to find George. He is leaning on the door frame to the Great Hall watching the other people dance.

"George." I say coming up to him and he looks at me. "I have decided that I would like to be your girlfriend." I say with a small smile. He gives me a smile and hugs me. My anger at Malfoy, for disrespecting the Weasley's, dissipates. We here someone clear their throat and notice Fred and Angelina standing in the Great Hall. Fred points up and George and I look up at the same time. We notice that we were both standing under the mistletoe. We look down at the same time. George and I lean in for a kiss. It was not quite a peck but not a snog session either. His lips were warm and sweet and I really enjoyed it even if it was not that long.

"Shall we continue dancing now love?" George asks with a smile when we pull away from the kiss. I nod my head, I was not going to let the silly little Slytherin keep me from enjoying my night.


	9. Chapter 8

***Quick Note* I am SO sorry! I know I went on hiatus for a while. I really didn't mean too. I got addicted to a lovely came called Overwatch... Still am but I wanted to write I figured I owed it to place another chapter... Sadly though I am not getting any reviews on the story so I have noooo clue if you guys like it or not, so please leave a comment when your done!**

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Chapter 8:

The holidays flew by in a flash. I had went home to see my parents and had a great holiday. I told them I was dating George now which the both approved of. We even were invited to the Weasley's house for New Years Eve and New Years day where George gave me a kiss at midnight. However the holidays went by to quickly and we were back at Hogwarts now. George was working on pranks that could be pulled on some of the Beauxbatons girls. We were about two weeks into term when I had received a letter from professor Dumbledore requesting I come and see him. I walked up the staircase to his office and go to knock on the door.

"Come in." I hear Professor Dumbledore say before I knock. I open the door slowly and step inside.

"You wanted to see me sir?" I ask as the door closes behind me. He smiles and motions for me to sit down at a chair across from him. I take my seat and he offers me some lemon drops which I gladly take one.

"Now it has come to my understanding that you posses a talent to heal those with bodily wounds without the use of your wand or spells?" Professor Dumbledore asks. I nod my head.

"Yes sir, but I am not really sure of things I can do. I mean all I have really healed are scrapes and bruises and burns." I say to him. "And well there was this one time, during this last summer. I had found Harry at the Quidditch World cup and he had been knocked unconscious. I had wished for his wound to heal and for him to wake up and he did. But I am not sure if it was the result of my healing the cut on his face or if it was from me." Dumbledore nods his head.

"Madam Pomfrey wishes to mentor you. She believes that you can become a very good healer some day. Have you given any thought to that?" He asks me.

"I have some sir. I was honestly going to wait until next year to fully decide. Once I started to think about my life after Hogwarts I started to think about other professions I would like other then just Healer." I admit.

"What other profession were you looking into may I ask?"

"Well, I would love to teach as well, but I am not sure what." I admit, he nods his head.

"May I ask how did you learn to heal without a wand or spells?" he then asks.

"My grandmother taught me." I answer honestly.

"Eddith Hemmingway taught you?" he says naming my mothers mother. I look at him confused.

"No sir, my Grandmother Elinor, My fathers mother." Dumbledore looks at me puzzled.

"Are you sure that is who taught you?" he asks uncertain of my answer.

"Yes sir, she visited me every summer. Until when I started here." I said. He looked troubled for a moment.

"Has your mother and father ever mentioned when she was coming?" He asks. I think for a moment the shake my head no.

"Is something wrong sir?" I ask him.

"I am not sure if I would be the proper one to tell you this Miss. Nethers." He says. I look at him suspiciously.

"Sir whatever it is I would like to know. I don't particularly care who its coming from. If it is about my grandmother I deserve to know." he looks troubled for a few moments.

"Reyneen your Grandmother Elinor was a exceptionally bright witch." He begin. "She had a gift, very much like your own. She was attempting to lean how to wield and use magic without a wand and incantations. I was her teacher when she was at school here and she was exceptionally bright just like yourself. She was a little bit older then you are when she first started trying to practice wandless magic. Of course no one knew."

"During her schooling she had become close to a very charming young man named Tom Riddle. They were, what she thought, best friends. He was a very clever young wizard and was able to get her secret out of her. He then was able to convince her to help him learn how to do wandless magic. It did not work though. Tom was unable to fully master wandless magic. After their years in Hogwarts they were best friends still. Your grandmother fell in love with your grandfather and Tom became more distant. Eventually Tom started asking things of Elinor she just couldn't do. She eventually stopped talking with him and he grew in power."

"Tom Riddle had become a stranger to her. What she once thought was charming and cleverness, she realized was sinister and evil. Tom never really cared for your grandmothers friendship, he never cared for anything but power. Your grandmother was one of his number one targets, so we took her and her family and hid them. She had told me that she had taught Tom how to wield magic with his hands and minds but he wasn't successful at mastering it, neither was she at this point but she was closer then anyone had ever gotten before."

"She knew that the only person that Tom would not be able to fight against was myself so she taught me as best as she could how to do wandless magic. I was never able to fully master it either."

"Has anyone ever mastered it?" I ask him.

"No." He replies. "They was why Tom valued your grandmother so much she was the only one closest to achieving it."

"Why did you act the way you did when I mentioned her being the one coming to me and teaching me?" I ask him. He sighs.

"Reyneen, your grandmother Elinor died at the beginning of the first war. Some say that her death was what started the war." He says, I sit back in the seat and look down at my lap. This was impossible I had seen her so many times. "Reyneen? Are you okay?" he asks me. A series of emotions ran though me. The woman that I knew, that I cared for so deeply. Who I knew loved me. Was not there, she was dead. I could feel tears coming to my eyes but I held myself together

"Yes sir. It's just, its hard to believe, she was so real to me." I say. I was still having a hard time believing it. "How was she killed?"

"Tom had killed her." Dumbledore says. "She refused to join him and his already growing followers. He killed her. Now the story of Tom, in short, Tom had very few people he considered friends. In fact the only one he ever verbally said was his friend was your grandmother. Tom however did not know how to love. At least he thought he didn't. What I believe happened was that Unbeknownst to Tom he cared for your grandmother a great deal, and when he killed her that was when he lost Tom, and became Lord Voldemort." I eyes pop open in shock.

"My grandmother was best friends with him?" I ask.

"Yes and no. She was best friends with Tom Riddle, Voldemort is who killed her." I sit there and process that for a moment. It made sense. Tom was the person that my grandmother had known who she cared or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, well she never knew him. She was dead when he was created. I hadn't noticed Dumbledore getting up and bringing a box to his desk. When he sets it down it brings me out of my thoughts.

"These..." He begins. "Are your grandmothers works. When she was studying she wrote anything and everything down that she learned about wandless magic." He says. I stand up and look into the box. There were several thick old looking leather cover books in this box. "I feel like it is time that you take them and study from them. If my assumptions are correct, you may be able to do what your grandmother was unable to do." He says. I look up at him confused.

"What would that be sir?"

"I believe that you will be able to master it." He says. I nod my head. "I will have these sent to your room. I must emphasize though, do not let anyone know what you are doing. Only I know and for your safety it needs to stay that way." He says. I nod my head. "Now I normally do not advise this to my students, but you will come to a point where you will need to practice. A safe secluded place would be the Room of Requirements." He advises me. He explains where it is located on the 7th floor and how to gain access to it. "Now I do believe I have kept you late enough, the other professors know that you are out so you will not be in trouble for this, but I cation to go directly to your dorms." Professor Dumbledore says. I nod my head and head for his door.

"Good night sir." I say.

"Pleasant Dreams Miss. Neathers." He says and I exit.

* * *

"You have been quiet lately love, is everything okay?" George asks me as he takes a bite of his dinner. I hadn't told anyone about my visit with Dumbledore, or the journals my grandmother had kept that were not locked in my trunk and was what I was reading currently at any spare moment. The shock of her being dead was still sinking in. I smile over to George.

"I am fine." I say. "Just have been over studying and am tired from that. Plus I am worried." I admit. Yes even my grandmothers journals could not distract me from the looming second task that was going to be taking place tomorrow.

"Miss. Nethers?" Professor Sprout comes up to us at the Gryffindor table where we were setting. I look back at her with a smile.

"Yes professor?" I ask.

"I must ask that your come with me. Professor McGonagall would like to speak with you." She says. I look to George confused for a moment, him giving me the same look.

"Is everything alright professor?" I ask. She smiles at me.

"Oh yes dearie." She says not giving any further explanation.

"I will come with you." George says starting to swing his leg over the bench.

"No Mr. Weasley. Professor McGonagall was strict in saying that Miss Nethers comes alone" She says. I get up and kiss George on the cheek before heading out with Professor Sprout. We get to Professor McGonagall's office and I notice that Hermione, Ron, and a little blonde girl that I think was Flure's younger sister all standing at McGonagall's desk. Behind McGonagall was professor Snape.

"Good now that you are all here," Professor McGonagall starts, "The second task is tomorrow..."

"Yes professor and we really need to get back to helping..." Hermione started but professor McGonagall held up her hand to silence her.

"I am sure that the four of you know what the riddle is for the champions to figure out. That something of great importance will be at the bottom of the lake." She says. We all nod our head. Cedric had came running to me after he had figured it out and told me Henry and Tina. Tina was determined to figure out what it was, we knew the obvious, he had an hour to discover something that was taken from him, something he would want to rescue and it would be under water. Since it was and egg we figured that it would be a mermaid since we could only understand it under water and those were the only creatures you could communicate with under water.

"What are you going to be taking from Harry?" Ron asks.

"You Mr. Weasley." Professor McGonagall says. We all look at her confused.

"Me?" Ron asks.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, You are one of Mr. Potter's best friend." She comments. Then I realize what was going on.

"And Hermione?" I ask.

"Mr. Krum has taken a liking to her." McGonagall answers shortly. I didn't need her to answer who the girl or I was for.

"You have the wrong person for Cedric." I comment. "It should be Cho he saves not me." I add.

"Miss Nethers do not think us professors do not have eyes or ears. We know how Cedric feels about you, even if you do not feel that way back. He does value you above all others." she says to me. I nod my head.

"Professor how are we going to survive under water all that time?" Hermione questions.

"Surely you know the potions Miss Granger." Professor Snape says. "Or are you using some sort of revere psychology to try and make us believe that you are in-complainant."

"Someone missed his nap." I whisper to Ron. Who suppresses a laugh. I get a glare from Snape.

"Do you have something to say Miss. Nethers?" Professor Snape asks me.

"No sir. Just a bit anxious." I say. I am sure the others felt the same way. We all knew this was suppose to be for one hour. They wouldn't possibly really put our lives in danger and we would die after one hour. Would they? Without that question being answered we were all sent to the hospital wing where we slept.

* * *

Have you ever been so deep in sleep that you didn't even realize you existed? I was warm, I was relaxed and felt like nothing in the world would ever harm me again. That was until I hit an ice cold wall and I gasp for breath. My eyes fly open as the cold awakens me like a shock though my heart. I feel someone wrap their arms around my middle to support me. I looked around to see who it is to find Cedric.

"Are you okay?" He asks me. I look at him confused for a moment not really realizing where I was, and he nods with his head to a direction behind me. "Can you swim." I nod my head still in shock from the cold and still slightly dazed. I get over to the platform where I am hoisted up by Professor Snape who hands me off to Professor Sprout.

"Are you okay deary?" She asks me.

"I-I t-think s-so" I say though clattering teeth. I didn't realize how cold I really was until that moment, A very warm blanket is thrown around me as Cedric comes over to examine if I was okay along with Madam Pomfrey. Not long after I had gotten the blanket around me Victor and Hermione emerged from the depths of the lake. Followed by Ron and a the little blonde girl. But no sign of Harry.

"W-where's Harry?" I ask worried and still a bit cold. I was just about to get up and dive in the lake to go find him myself when Harry came flying out of the water landing on the platform. It wasn't until then that I realized we had been watched, the cheers filled my ears as the schools shouted for who they wanted to win as the judges decided.

"Attention!" Dumbledore yells, no one listened. He placed his wand to his neck and amplified his voice. I covered my ears quickly. "Attention!" he yelled again and the crowd went silent. "The winner is Cedric Diggory!" He announces and the crowd cheers over Dumbledore's explanation as to why and what his tactic was. "But seeing as Mr. Potter was the first to find everyone and wanted to not only rescue Mr. Weasley but all four of the students the judges have come to a unanimous vote to to award Mr. Potter second place for outstanding moral fiber!" He announces. Cheers and boos could be heard throughout the stadium, boos since Victor had technically surfaced second. Along with that Dumbledore tried to announce though the crowd roars or Victor coming in third and Flure was in fourth. One back on shore George runs up to me and wraps his arms around me.

"Are you okay?" He asks me.

"Everyone keeps asking me that," I say with a small giggle. "But yes I am fine George."

"How could you go running to that cheating whore?" I hear Cho's voice from behind us. I feel George tense up next to me. There was a giggle emitted from her friends. George and I turn to look at them. Her face held a glare but a satisfied smirk. "I mean we all knew she was nothing but a fake rich whore, dates the poor boy to make her look innocent, but crawls in bed with other girls men. Tsk tsk." She says. What she didn't see, however, was Cedric standing behind her with a glare on his face. This was not going to end good for her.

"Cho is this your attempt to break us up?" George asks. "Because it is not going to. I know how Cedric feels for my girlfriend, and I know how she feels about him. There is nothing there that I have to worry about. You on the other hand, well I know this is just an out lash because of your break up with Cedric." She makes a very unattractive cackle.

"Cedric adores me you dumb ginger." She says and I feel George grab my arm prventing me from launching at her, "He did not break up with me." She says to him with a matter of fact tone.

"Yes I am." Cedric says. Cho's eyes go wide and she turns around. I can only assume Cho puts on a fake smile to try and charm her way out of it.

"Cedric, I was just telling Reyneen that I hope that she was okay. The water must have been terribly cold." She says as she walks up to him. "Let me take you inside and warm you up." She says in a flirtatious voice. Cedric's eyes were stone though.

"It's over Cho. I heard what you said." Cedric says and walks up to George and I.

"What are you..."

"You never _ever_ insult Rey again. No rumors. Don't even talk to her or me. If you do, you will answer for it." He says with venom and walks away. Cho looked after him horror struck. George grabs my hand and pulls me along. Sadly I knew I would not hear the end of this.


	10. Chapter 9

***Quick Note* Okay Wow did not expect to write this chapter in one night (actually it was within 3 hours I was amazed at how the words flowed)! This chapter will bring us to the end of the 4th year! I would like to thank AstoriaGrace and Hollarious969 for the reviews! I am glad that you both enjoyed the story thus far! I want to also announce now that this story will have a** **squeal and a prequel. This story is kind of like episodes four, five, and six in star wars and I did not plan it this way! I swear! I always knew that i was going to break Rey's story into to two but I was struck with the idea of a prequel as well after I had started writing this story. But I do not plan on starting that until Rey's story is completed. I hope that everyone continues to read and review!**

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Chapter 9:

"Gaaah!" I scream in frustration. I was currently in the room of requirements trying to figure out how to move an object with my mind while my eyes were open. I found it was easier to do with my eyes shut, but for some reason with them open it was much harder. Then again with my eyes close the objects go flying out of control too. The room was plane, nothing special to it. There was a pedestal in the middle of the room with a shinny red apple on it. I had yet to move it. I sigh and sit down crossing my legs in front of me. I take my grandmothers notebook in my hand and read over the passage again. I nearly had it memorized but I kept reading to see if there were any more hints given by her. Nothing stood out. I sigh stand up and try again. Nothing. I sigh. It was getting late and I still needed to study for my final exams coming up. Between practicing with my gift, and homework, and dating George, and making sure I kept the twins out of detention, well as much as I could, and the growing worry I had in the pit of my stomach for the looming third task I was exhausted. But I needed to do well on the exams and stay focused in school.

I pack up and leave the room of requirements and head down to dinner. Nothing to eventful has happened since the second task. I mean sure Barty Crouch was found dead in the forbidden forest, but he was in the forbidden forest, anything could have killed him. Then there was a rumor that I was secretly pregnant with Cedric's baby and that George was only sticking around for my money. But that died down quickly. Somehow though everyone thought that I was no longer a virgin. I think that rumor was started by Pansy though, not Cho.

Pansy, for some reason or another, had started harping on me. Why I have no clue. Maybe it was because I had accidentally walking into the potions class while she and Draco were making out... and vomited in a cauldron upon seeing it. And it got around the whole school by one of the gossiping girls in Ravenclaw who was behind me at the time. Pansy had became a laughing stock because of some seriously bad timing. In my defense though I had a virus. Snape had given me a detention for it and wanted me to clean all the cauldrons, but upon me vomiting more and making even more of a mess Snape dismissed me and deducted ten points instead. Everyone was shock that he did this, even I was.

"Hello Nethers." I hear Draco from beside me. I jump about a million feet to my right and away from him. I was so focused on my thoughts that I hadn't noticed Draco in the hallway with me. Granted, no one else was on the seventh floor right now everyone was at dinner. My heart was racing and I put my hand over my chest in attempts to slow it down.

"Merlin Draco you scared me." I say. This had in fact been the first exchange with him since the fight at the Yule Ball. I had missed him. Yes I seen him in classes and in the hall, but he usually gave me nasty looks or would go back to his old technique of tormenting me. It use to be an act, but with our fight I was not so sure.

"You really should pay more attention to where you are walking." He says, I roll my eyes.

"What do you really want Draco? You haven't talked to me in months and all of a sudden you are worried about me not paying attention as I walk." I say a bit annoyed.

"I miss you." He says so quietly that I could almost not hear him. But I knew what he said, and knowing Draco it was hard for him to admit. My annoyance quickly faded.

"You hurt my feelings Draco. I like George. Just because he doesn't have your point of view, doesn't mean that he is a bad guy."

"I know and I am sorry." He says.

"You say that an awful lot to me." I comment folding my arms over my chest.

"You don't think I mean it?" He asks.

"I know you mean it Draco. You never tell anyone else it. What makes me different?" I ask. He shrugs. We are silent for a moment watching each other. "Well, have a good night Draco." I say quietly and start to walk away. I feel Draco grab my wrist and spin me around. My wrist, which he still had hold of, felt like it was on fire, but not like it was burning. I feel my arm start to tingle as bumps start to spread over it. I pull my wrist away as Draco lets go.

"Please can we be friends again?" He asks almost pleading.

"Can you accept my relationship with George?" I ask. Something flashes in his eyes but he is quick to cover it. He is silent for a few moments as he stairs at me.

"I am not happy about it, I will never be happy about it as long as you guys are together. But your friendship means more to me then that." He says. I smile wide and hug him. I feel him tense slightly before wrapping his arms around me. I pulled back, a little quicker then I had planned. I noticed something that I hadn't noticed before. I liked hugging Draco. It felt relaxing and warm and I had never felt like that when I hugged anyone else before. It scared me because I wasn't sure what it was. My thoughts were interrupted with a very loud growl from my stomach.

"I take it you are hungry?" Draco asks with a smirk. I nod my head.

"I missed lunch today, I had some studying to do." I admit. He nods his head. We walk at least until the third floor together, where he allowed me to head down the rest of the way by myself. I sit next to George who gives me a kiss on the cheek as I place food on my plate.

* * *

I wake up breathing heavy and covered in sweat. I look around and notice that my curtains are closed around me. I have a sudden feeling of being closed in and rip the curtains to the right open. My feet hit the cool floor of my dorm room. It was still dark out. But, over the mountains it showed signs of the coming morning. It was the day I had been dreading since the second task. The third task. I slip my robe on and my slippers and head down to the common room to try and calm myself down.

I don't remember the dream at all. I just know that I feel very anxious. As I come down the stairs I notice a figure sitting in front of the fire. I walk slowly over to him. His head turns to me, I give him a weak smile.

"You couldn't sleep?" I ask Cedric.

"Neither could you?" was his response.

"I had a bad dream, though I don't remember it." I say. He pats the couch next to him and I come and sit there. He puts his arm around my back and I lay my head on his shoulder. "I'm worried Cedric." I say out loud. I could feel the tears coming as I admitted it and I tried to hold them back. I had no clue what was making me so emotional. I had never been like this. It possibly was due to stress.

"What are you worried about?" He asks me.

"What if you die?" I ask. He sighs though it wasn't in annoyance. It was like he knew how I felt and was trying to relieve the stress.

"I will be fine Rey. Dumbledore would not put us in any real danger." He says. I nod my head. "Even then, next week you will be gone." I say quietly. He moves so that I have to move to face him.

"Is that why you have been so upset lately?" He asks me. I feel a tear fall down my cheek.

"That..." I say and feel more tears start to fall. "And exams, and worried about this task that no one has any idea of what it is so there is no way to prepare for it, and..." I pause for a moment. Should I tell him about my gift. Dumbledore said I shouldn't but this is Cedric. He was my best friend.

"And...?" He encouraged.

"I have a gift." I say quietly. He looks at me confused. "Dumbledore told be about it just after holiday, I have been trying to study how to use my gift." I say without giving any hints as to what it was.

"What is your gift?" He asks.

"Do you promise not to tell anyone. It's imperative that no one else knows. It will put my life in danger." I say. He nods his head. "I can do wandless wordless magic." I say in a whisper. He nods not looking surprised at all.

"I know. I mean I kind of knew before. Sometimes you do it without even realizing it. No one else has noticed though, I know that for a fact." He says. I look at him confused.

"How?"

"Because I love you. I notice everything about you, about what goes on around you. No one knows and your secret is safe with me." He says with a smile. I hug him.

"Thank you Cedric. And I love you too." I reply. He knew my love was platonic, just as I knew his love was not. But it was nice to know that we had come to an understanding, without either of our feelings being hurt.

* * *

I had spent the afternoon with George. We had fun and laughed and it was getting close to sunset, close to the start of the third task. George knew that I was worried. But it did not stop us from having a good time. George and my relationship was good he was wonderful to me and we did have a few snog sessions here and there. But the spark was not there. At least not in the romantic way. He was a wonderful friend and kisser, but I never could get passed just liking George.

"What are you thinking about?" George asks me as we sit next to the lake.

"Us." I answer honestly. He gives me a small smile.

"What about us?" he asks.

"Do you feel anything when you kiss me?" I ask him. He sits there and thinks for a moment. This was one of the things I liked about him. He was a goofball yes, but when it came to serious things he would become serious.

"To be honest with you no." He says. I nod my head. "I mean you are a amazing kisser love. I will give you props for that." He adds trying not to offend me. I laugh.

"To be completely honest I was thinking that too." I say. He smiles.

"So now what?" He asks.

"I think that we shouldn't prolong something we both know will eventually happen." I say. "I am sure we could both make each other happy, but, I like you George. And I am not sure if it will ever grow from that." I say. He nods his head.

"Lets make a deal right here right now." He offers, I nod my head. "If by the time I am thirty and you twenty eight, and neither of us have found the love of our life and are married, we try this again." He suggest, "and until then we stay close friends." He adds. I smile and hug him. I pull back from the hug and shake his hand.

"You have a deal Mr. Weasley." I say and we laugh. This was in fact my first break up. And it was a lot different then I had expected. Then again George and I were good friends and leaving it on good terms.

"You should get over to the pitch and talk with Cedric before it start." George suggests. I smile and nod my head. I walk over by myself and enter the champions tent.

"Miss you cannot be in here. This is for Champions and their family's only." a man, who I was sure was Bulgarian said to me.

"Non-sense she is like a daughter to me and a sister to my boy, she is more then welcome to be in here." Mr. Diggory says. I hug him as the man walks away mumbling something I couldn't quite understand. "How have you been?" He asks me. I smile and tell him that I have been fine. We wait for Cedric to come out of changing. Mr. Diggory goes over and talks with one of the professors about how proud he is of his boy.

"You are going to do great Cedric. You have got this." I say confidently. On my insides though I was a worried mess. He smiles at me.

"Is that you trying to boost my confidence?" He asks me. I nod my head. He smirks. "Even though I know you are even more worried then I am that does help. Thank you Rey." He says. I hug him. I couldn't help it. I was so worried I needed him to be okay. He hugs me back and holds me for a moment longer the what be be a hug between friends. The sound of Dumbledore entering is the only thing that pulls me away.

"Miss. Nethers its time for you too take your seat." Professor Dumbledore says to me. I nod my head. I go to leave but Cedric takes my hand and I turn to him.

"I will be okay and I will see you after the task." He says to me. I nod my head. "I love you." he says to me.

"I love you too Cedric." I say back. I leave and go to head for the seats. In the tunnels leading out to the seats I feel someone grab my hand and pull me to a side cupboard. They cover my mouth before I scream. The illuminate their wand and Draco is standing before me. I instantly relax.

"You really have to stop scaring me Draco." I whisper so that no one can hear us. He smirks which I want to slap right off his face. But I don't need to he suddenly becomes very serious.

"Are you okay?" He asks me.

"Why is everyone concerned for my well being. Yes I am okay." I say annoyed. He looks at me skeptically. I sigh.

"Okay so I am a bit worried and stressed. I mean my best friend is about to go into a dark maze and we have no clue what is in there." I say. "Draco what if..." I pause.

"he doesn't make it?" Draco finishes for me. I nod my head. "I am not sure." He says. A tear rolls down my cheek. Draco was the first person to not try to sugar coat the situation. He had accepted what I was worried about and gave me a strait forward answer. He didn't try and say that Cedric will be fine and to not worry like everyone else. And the response he gave me was one that I expected Draco to give me. He did not know how to cope with loss, just like myself. I feel his hand come up to the side of my cheek and his thumb brush over it to wipe away the tear that had fallen. "We should go." he says I nod my head. He leaves first as I gather my emotions then I walk out into the stands and take as seat next to Henry. I lean my head on his shoulder. Tina reaches across Henry and takes my hand in hers and squeezes it. We were all worried. We stayed like that until it started, each making our own little prayer. When the Champions came out we all cheered for Cedric and Harry. Both were to enter the maze first at different entrances. Before the maze entrance closed Cedric looks back into the crowd and spots me and gives me a smile. I smile back at him and the maze closes.

Once the task had started there was not much that we could to but wait. People chatted among themselves. Talking about different things. Some even talking about their holiday to come. How they could think about other things was beyond me. About an hour into the task a red flair went into the air. There was a loud wind that filled the stadium and my stomach dropped. What if that was Cedric. What if he was hurt.

It was not Cedric. It was Flure. She was unconscious and there were healers from St Mungo's here who took care of her. A half hour later more flairs were shot in the sky. This time it was Victor who returned. I sigh. That left Harry and Cedric in the maze. The crowd was abuzz with excitement. It was clearly Hogwarts that would win. But would be crowned the champion. It went quite again, except the conversations. Time seemed to pass so slowly. And I was becoming more anxious as the time passed.

There was a sudden flash of light and the crowd stood up and started to cheer and the band started to play. I stood up too but couldn't see anything. That was when I heard a scream of terror. My heart stopped at the sound. The slow motion of Mr. Diggory running out to a motionless Cedric suddenly became fast as the crowd around us went silent. All that could be heard was Mr. Diggory's wails and several students throughout the stadium crying. I fall back into my seat, suddenly unable to hold myself up. Tina and Henry had pushed their way though to the front of the crowd to run to Cedirc's body. I was starring at the back of whoever was standing in front of me. This could not be happening. He said he would be okay. The professors started to hurry the students back into the castle. Most were cleared out when I feel someone shake me. I hear their voice but couldn't make out anything they were saying.

"Nethers!" They scream at me. I look to my left to see Draco. He held his demeanor as though he did not care about me sitting here, or the fact that Cedric was laying on the ground, but his eyes shown concern, worry, and sorrow. "Professor Sprout!" I hear him shout. Not leaving my side. My head of house comes over. "I think she is in shock." He says to her.

"yes thank you Mr. Malfoy I will take care of her." She says to him. Take care of me? But what about Cedric?

"No..." I say. I feel my heart start to beat rapidly and my body starts to break out in a sweat. "No I have to help him... I have to help Cedric... I have to heal him" I say and start to get up but arms wrap around me and hold be back, I thrash against the person. "Please I have to help him." I say starting to break my voice cracking. "Cedric!" I scream, tears rolling down my face. The arms around me stayed their secured. "No please... Merlin no.." I whisper starting to shake as I cry uncontrollably.

"Mr. Malfoy I need to get Professor McGonagall, will you sit with Miss Nethers?" She asked. I don't see his reaction. I feel his hand running over my back. As she walks away his grip on me loosens a little.

"Rey..."

"Please Draco I need to heal him." I plea with him. He turns me to look at him.

"Rey, its to late, he is gone. You cannot heal the dead." He says.

"Can I at least try?" I beg him. He shakes his head no. I break down yet again and he pulls me into a hug. He holds me there until the Professors return where they tell him to head to bed.

* * *

I did not attend the school funeral for Cedric. I didn't even leave my dorm. Somehow Draco had managed to get one of the house elves in the kitchen to bring food and drinks up to me when it was meal time. I wouldn't always eat. Draco started sending letters to me via the elves too, making sure that I was okay and when I did eat scolding ones. But he was concerned for me I knew he was.

The others schools left the day before we were suppose to leave back. I did not attend that as well. I mostly spent my time crying, or angry, or depressed. I didn't think I could ever be happy again. The train ride was silent. Tina and Henry both promised to come visit this summer and to write me. They were still grieving just as much as I was. But I found that, when I was with them, the pain was not so bad. I wasn't as depressed. Maybe locking myself in my room for the summer to wallow was not the way to handle this. I didn't know what to do. But I did know that big changes were about to take place.


	11. Chapter 10

***Quick Note* Hey everyone! Chapter 10! This is the beginning of year 5! and some changes are coming Rey's way, one she notices, and tries to deny in this chapter! Please review with any thoughts or suggestions I would love to hear them!**

* * *

Chapter 10:

Time. So much time had passed in just a few months. My parents thought it would be best if they took me away for the summer. We spent it in a little village in Greece along the Mediterranean sea. At first I wouldn't leave my room. Then Tina and Henry both came and forced me out of my room. They at least got me to go around the house. After a week or so, even I couldn't stand being in the house anymore. No matter how bad I was feeling. We went to the local cafe's and shops and went to the beach. I was actually having fun again. But then the thoughts of Cedric would flood my mind and the fun would go away. It was like this for several weeks. Tina eventually had to head back, she had a job interview with the Daily Profit. Henry stayed with me though.

By mid August I was able to cope. The crying and the anger had stopped. I wasn't as depressed anymore. But I was still not me. Or maybe I was me. Maybe this was going to be me the rest of my life. Henry and I had spent so much time out of the house I had a nice tan, it wasn't dark, but I certainly wasn't pale. I had grown as well even I could tell I had. My body had filled out and apparently Henry had to fend of some Greek men for my honor. He had postponed his career for me. In a way. He was to become the beater for the Irish team. He was suppose to take lead. But he asked if he could do back up this season. His training was hence backdated to after I went back to school.

And it was that time again. Sort of. We were returning back to England. My parents, though didn't tell me why said that we would be staying in London for the last two weeks of summer. We, my family and Henry, had taken a portkey to a secluded park. There my father had summoned the bus to take us to another part of the city. Once the bus drops us off we walk a few blocks before my parents stop next to a park and look across the street. I look at what they are staring at and notice a series of houses. I look at it confused for a moment and notice that there was a house missing between eleven and thirteen. My mother looks around and nods her head and my dad says something and waves his wand. The house started to move apart. My eyes grow wide wondering if any of the neighbors would come out to see what the ruckus was and what is causing the earth quack in their homes. But no one came.

What did come into view what the home of number 12. it looked old and warn down even from the outside. My parents look both ways before crossing. I follow them unsure of what is going on. They walk up to the house and knock three times. A voice could be head from the other side of the door.

"State your name." the voice said.

"Jeremy Nethers and his family. Along with Henry Hensley." My father answers. "State your name." My father says. I look at him confused.

"Remus Lupin. What was the address of our first meeting?" Remus asks my father.

"Trick questions, we did not meet at an address we met in Baundenburry park when we were seven." My father answers, "What was moon phase when we had announced that we would be having Rey?" My father asks.

"It was a new moon." I hear the almost humor in his voice. The door fly's open and my father hugs his old time friend. "It's good to see you again old friend." Remus says before hugging my mother and shaking Henry's hand. Her turns to me with a small smile on his face.

"Hello professor." I say.

"I am no longer your professor Rey, you may call me Remus." he says. I nod my head. He hugs me and I hug him back. This was the first time someone had hugged me since that night. It's not that my parents did not want to hug me. I had just shied away and they knew that physical contact was not something I needed then. We entered though house into a narrow hallway. It was dimly lit and the place looked old and warn.

"Rey dear!" I hear Mrs. Weasley's voice. She was standing at the end of the hallways with a big smile on her face. I place a small smile on my face and hug her. "How are you?" She asks me. I was already annoyed with the question. But I didn't let my annoyance show.

"I am doing fine. It still hurts, but I am coping." I say she nods her head. She smiles at me in a loving way.

"You best head upstairs everyone has been waiting to see you." She says. I was slightly confused by who she meant when she said everyone. She told me to go to the first landing and take a right and it was the third door on the left. I stopped in front of it and gently knocked. There was some scuffles and then the door is opened and I see Ginny. She smiles at me then steps aside.

"Rey!" Hermione says and jumps off the bed to come hug me. Very tightly. I hug her back after the shock of her attack wares off.

"Blimey Hermione let the girl breath!" I hear Ron's voice. Hermione pulls away and leads me into the room. I am sat on the bed and Hermione sits next to me. There was Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, and Harry all here. Thought Harry was in the far corner out off the conversation.

"How are you?" Ginny asks me. At least everyone is here so they don't all have to answer me individually.

"I'm fine." I answer them simply. It is silent for a moment where no one spoke. "So um where are we?" I ask trying to change the conversation.

"Its the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. They are the group that went against you-know-who in the first war."Ginny says. "Though there is not as many left as there use to be." She adds I nod my head.

"So have you been here all summer?" I ask.

"For a good portion of it yes." George answers.

"I'm sorry, I should have asked my parents if you could have came with us." I say feeling slightly guilty.

"You needed time love, we all understand that." Fred says to me. I still felt guilty.

"Kids lunch is ready!" We hear Mrs Weasley yell. Fred and George smirk and pop out of the room. "FRED, GEORGE WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU TWO ABOUT APPARATING IN THE HOUSE!" We hear Mrs. Weasley bellow. I feel the corners of my mouth turn up as the others around me snicker. Everyone heads to leave but Harry.

"Harry?" I say his name and he looks at me. His expression blank. "Is everything alright?" I ask him. He nods his head. The others had left at this point. "I know that look and reaction, I have been giving it majority of the summer, what is really wrong?" I ask him.

"No one believes me." He says after a moment."I almost got expelled because people refuse to believe that Voldemort is back. The Daily Profit is making it out to seem like I am a joke. Voldemort is going to win if people don't realize soon that its not a lie. He is going to end up killing everyone and I wont be able to stop him. Just like how I couldn't save Cedric. It's my fault he is dead if I hadn't insisted on both of us winning then he would still be here." He says. I could hear the stress, worry, anger, and anguish in his voice. I walk over to him and hug him. He hugs me back only hesitating slightly.

"This is not just your war. Sure you have a lot riding on you and your safety because you are the only one that can beat... that can beat _him_. But you are not alone. The Order believes you, Your friends believe you. I believe you." I say. "And no one blames you for Cedric's death Harry. It wasn't your fault there was nothing you could have done. There was nothing he could have done." I say giving him a small smile to try and cheer him up.

"I seen him... after he died." Harry says. "There was a point where Voldemort and I were dueling and our wands connected. The souls of the people he had killed started to escape his wand." Harry says. "The last thing Cedric said was to take his body back to his father, and to make sure that his sister stayed safe." He says. I could feel myself stop breathing. Cedric, in death, had asked Harry to keep me safe.

"He really said that?" I ask. Harry nods his head.

"He only ever worried about you and he was an only child. Why does he want me to make sure you are safe?" Harry asks me. I know it is because of my power, but I couldn't tell Harry, I wasn't even suppose to tell Cedric.

"I don't know. I really wish he would rest in peace though, and not worry about me in death. That has to be uncomfortable." I say trying to lighted the mood some. It had brought a small smile to Harry's face. "Come lets go eat." I say he nods his head. As we get to the bottom of the stairs Harry stops me.

"Thank you Rey. For trying to help." He say.

"Any time Harry." I say and we head into the madhouse of the kitchen.

* * *

"Please write me as often as you can." My mother says hugging me in front of the Hogwarts Express. "If you are feeling down let me know okay?" She asks I smile and nod my head. I start to get onto the train.

"Wait!" I hear a familiar voice from behind. I turn to see Tina and a very frazzled Henry running towards me with a box. I smile and hug Tina when she almost tackles me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask them.

"You didn't expect us to not come and see you off to school did you?" She asks me. I smile at how thoughtful it was of them. Henry was holding a box with what appears to be a letter on top of it. I look at him confused.

"What is this?" I ask them.

"It's a going to Hogwarts gift, from a very dear friend. But do not open it until you are seated in your own compartment." Henry said, I look at him confused but nod my head. I take the box, which was a bit heavy and something felt like it was moving inside of it very unsteady.

"What is in this?" I ask them.

"You will see." They say in unison. The witless blows for the train and I give them both one last hug, promising to write them at least once a week before boarding the train with my odd box and letter. I head to find a compartment and am very pleased to find an empty one rather quickly. It was odd that I was able to but I wasn't going to complain. I place the box on the seat and close the door. I go and sit next to the box and pick up the letter. It has my name written across the front of it. I flip it over and when I go to open it some writing appears across the top. 'open the box first.' I look at the letter a bit confused. I place it down on the seat next to me and I turn to the box. There was a little thud heard from inside it and I open it up. My eyes grow wide.

In the box laid a very small, very black kitten. It looked up at me with emerald green eyes. I could feel my heart instantly swelling and falling in love with it. I slowly move me hand to its nose so that it could sniff my hand. It sniffs it for a moment and then rubs its head against my hand in a loving manner. I smile and start to pet it. I pull it out of the box and it stumbles around on the seat having a heard time walking on a train. It finally decided to lay down right next to the letter. I pick it up and open it. I could feel my heart rate increasing and tears coming to my eyes as I read the letter.

 _Dear Rey,_

 _Today is the day of the third task. And I will admit I am frighten. If you are reading this, then something went wrong in the task. I am hoping that you never have to read this. And that I can just throw this away after the task. Well maybe some sleep first and then I will throw it away._

 _In the event that something bad should happened to me. I want you to know that I will always love you. Even if you never love me the same way. I know that you will find the right guy who you will fall in love with. And I sincerely hope that he does not break your heart. If he does then I will find some way to kick his ass._

 _I sincerely hope that Henry got the right sort of kitten. I told him that you have always wanted a black cat and that, with great begging on my part, I was able to get your parents to agree to you having one. I hope the kitten is loving too, because I feel like you will need her._

 _You have been my dearest and closest friend ever since we were children. Nothing is ever going to replace that in my heart. If you are reading this and the worst has happened and I am dead. I ask this of you. Please do not morn for to long. I want you to move on with your life. I want you to grow strong and talented. Do not give up on the friends around you, and do not let things in the past get to you. And when you do fall in love, I hope that the man loves you just as much as I did. My whole life was not even enough time to spend with such an amazing person as you. Until we meet again my dear Rey._

 _With all my Love,_

 _Cedric_

I was bawling. I will admit it. The kitten crawls its way into me lap and paws at the falling tears. I smile at it and start to rub it behinds the ears. The kitten purrs and it starts to calm me a bit. Until I jump from hearing the compartment door opening. Draco walked in. I was waiting for the other Slytherins to follow him in and was preparing myself for the taunting when he closes the doors and blinds to the compartment windows. He locks the door before taking a seat on the edge of the seat across from me.

If I wasn't trying to wipe my tears away quickly my jaw would have dropped. I apparently was not the only one who had changed over the summer so had Draco. I was trying and failing miserably at convincing myself that he was not attractive. I would try to sway with he is my friend. But then there was the part of me that was screaming look at him!

"Hey." He say after I dry my eyes. His voice had gotten deeper to and I felt my heart rate increasing at the sound of it. The kitten looks over to the new person and narrows its eyes. I think it was trying to determine if it liked Draco enough. It stood up stretched and circled in my lap before laying back down facing away from Draco. I think that meant it was okay with him. I hope.

"Hey." I say quietly. I was surprised I was able to get that out with how dry my mouth felt. It must have been all that crying. I tried to reason with myself. It definitely had nothing to how intense Draco was staring at me.

"Why were you crying?" He asks me carefully. I look down at the note that was still in my left hand. Draco takes it from me, without my permission might I add, and reads it over. I took this time to look him over. His body had definitely transformed over the summer. He no longer looked lanky and even through his black blazer you could tell that his muscle has grown and his body had changed from a young mans to, well a mans body, his face had thinned out and his high cheek bones and pointed chin were more prominent, something he had inherited from his mother. And his eyes had darkened slightly. They were icy blue when he first walked in. But as he had noticed me they had turned to a stormy gray. He looks up at me when he finishes reading the letter.

"The poor chap really did care about you." He says I nod my head.

"The letter actually helped really." I say. "It doesn't hurt that bad anymore. I think it was what I needed for closer." I pause for a moment. "And what do you mean poor chap?" I ask and I see a smirk forming on Draco's face.

"Well he did want to date you." He says. I glare at him, but it was playful.

"Well at least he has good taste. I have no idea why Pansy is so obsessed with you." I comment. My inner self was screaming, Yes you do!, but I was ignoring that part of my brain at the moment.

"I could name off a few things if you like." He says his smirk not leaving his face

"Oh Merlin please don't, I really do not want to hear you have a love fest about yourself. I may end up vomiting and then I will get detention again with Snape." I say. He laughs, one of Draco's genuine laughs and it makes my heart rate change in a way I had never had before. What was wrong with me this is Draco we are talking to and thinking about here.

I tell Draco about my summer. Even the depressing parts and about my time in Greece. Draco then tells me about his summer, his mother and him had gone to France to see one of her cousins. They had stayed in Paris. Draco tried to persuade me that he spent many days with different girls and I rolled my eyes, though I felt a stab of jealousy run though me. I was really going to need a personal talk with myself later.

"That was not quite convincing, then again your house will believe you, the rest of the school will know that truth. besides if you are just trying to make Pansy jealous then all you have to say is 'I met this girl at a cafe and..." I smile and pause. "Then Pansy will go ballistic." I say laughing. I stop suddenly. That was the first time I had laughed since Cedric passing. And I oddly did not feel guilty about it.

"Whats wrong?" Draco asks me. I shake my head and smile.

"Nothing. Everything is great. Its the best I have been in a few months." I say. Draco gives me his rare smile. But just for a moment then he frowns.

"I have to be heading back. They may get suspicious of where I have been, I was only suppose to be gone an hour, I made prefect this year and I was suppose to be doing my rounds." He says standing up. He heads for the door and I quickly move my kitten and stand up grabbing his blazers sleeve to stop him. He turns and faces me. I hug him and he hugs me back instantly. He was taller then me by a bit, but my head was still able to lay gently against his shoulder.

"Thank you." I say a bit muffled by his shirt. We stand there a moment longer holding each other before pulling away. Hugging him should not have felt that good.

"Next Saturday meet me in the astronomy tower at midnight." He says.

"But I could get in trouble if am caught. I am not a prefect like you." I say.

"Then don't get caught." He says with a devilish smirk before turning and leaving. I feel my mouth drop after the compartment door is closed. Merlin when did his irritating smirk become hot? Ugh what is wrong with me? I sit on the seat where I had previously been sitting. I was confused. This was Draco. The same irritating guy who use to taunt me. Who was and is my friend. Why am I suddenly so attracted to him?


	12. Chapter 11

***Quick Note* So Ladies and Gents this is Chapter 11! I do hope that you enjoy it! I would like to thank dragonrush for reviewing! I love to see what other people think and honestly reviews give me a motivation boost to keep writing! I think it is the knowledge that someone likes the story and this is why. Even if its negative i will take it so that I can try to better myself! Suggestions for what you would like to see in the story as well are always welcomed!**

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Chapter 11:

Epiphany is defined as a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way. There are good epiphanies, like finally figuring out how a complicated potion is suppose to be done, even if its not written that way in the book. And then there are bad epiphanies, like realizing that you are a bad egg and no one likes you because of it. My epiphany was not either of those. But it was a bad one. When I walked into the Great Hall the night of the opening feast, I had my first epiphany. I was alone. There was no Henry or Cedric to sit next to, and there was never going to be that again. My heart clenched in sadness realizing that his year was going to be different. I had no clue where to sit. I didn't really know any of my fellow Hufflepuffs, well we were acquaintances, but beyond that I didn't know where to fit at this table. I took a seat at the only place I thought was best, I was seated at the end of the table closest to the exit.

During the feast no one really bothered to talk to me. It was at that time I let my thoughts wander. I was not longer going to be sitting on my couch with my leg over Henry's lap while I forced him to study, In fact, I was not really going to need the common room. I was only ever in there when Cedric and Henry was.

People would murmur around me. Most likely looked at me while I ate and was lost in thought. I knew what they were probably saying and thinking too. It most likely involved Cedric and I, and they were probably placing bets on when I would break down crying.

I had thought of a name for kitten. I was going to name her Tharc (Tina Henry and Rey Cedric). That way everyone was still together in a way. When I had told the kitten that when I went to bed it seemed to accepted it and slept very close and tight to me.

Now I sit in my first class. Defense Against the Dark Arts. This class I had with the Slytherin's, I however was not paying attention to them though. What I was confused and concerned about was the book that had been placed in front of me. Everyone, even some of the Slytherins, had a look of confusion on their face. I boldly raise my hand.

"Yes. Miss...?" The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher asks. Now this, lady, was over doing it, by about a dragon's tail length when trying to appear and nice and innocent. She was dressed in a pink robe with matching everything. She was getting older, that you could tell by the wrinkles on her face and the fading in her hair color. Though, the wrinkles did make her look like a toad. I suppose being as obviously fake as she was it will catch up with you in the future, It is kinda of how imagine Pansy to age.

"There is nothing in the book about how to use defensive spells. How are we..." She cuts me off with a hideous laugh. Even the Slytherin's had a look of questioning. Was this lady even sane?

"My dear child why would you ever need to use defensive spells? Who would want to attack children?" She asks with amusement.

"I am not sure if you and the ministry realizes but we are not going to be children forever." I start. Her amused face turns into shock. "And as for who will attack us. _Anyone_ could attack us. China, Egypt, France, America, The Amazonian to name just a few. The world is filled with witches and wizards and one day they could attack and we would not be able to defend ourselves because the ministry thought Defense Against the Dark Arts could be taught from a book. Not to mention that there are still thousands of wizards and witches in this very country, that have previously took the Dark Arts classes who could attack us because of our heritage and beliefs." I counter. I could see out of the corner of my eye a smirk placed on a few of the Slytherin's faces and half of the Hufflepuffs had their mouths agape. The Toad, or her real name Professor Delores Umbridge, stood there with a very red face. Her eyes looked a bit crazed. There was a moment of silence either as she calmed down or thought of a response or both. The redness in her face had gone down some.

"I, and your Minister of Magic, are happy to hear that you are so concerned about the future of our country. However, the Ministry knows that the Education that you have been receiving in this class has been, very traumatizing. So we wanted to build a safe environment. We want you to know that under the Ministry you are safe and you will not need to use what you were previously taught. Now..." She says and starts into her speech about the curriculum. Some of the kids, even Slytherin's, okay so Tracey Davis, Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass, and Draco looked a bit annoyed, along with the rest of the Hufflepuffs. We may not always agree on things but even the Slytherin's could appreciate great education. And this was a mockery of that. Except for the dumb ones, example, Pansy Parkinson, who currently had a smug look on her face like I had been defeated.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." I hear Pansy's voice as I walk out of class that day. I walked passed her thinking she was just talking to her 'friends' about something else. "How does it feel to be humiliated in front of your pears by a teacher on your first day Nethers?" she says. I turn to her.

"Oh I am sorry were you talking to me?" I ask her. She shakes her head at me looking at me with a duh face. She really looked mental. Maybe she was related to toad lady. Draco, Blaise, and Tracy all came up to the group at that point.

"I was just saying how you have fallen from your pedestal, how now that your precious Cedric is dead no one in your house gives two shits about you. And how sad it was in there when you attempted to tell a teacher off. She really should have just slapped you. Then again she did with her words." She says giggling cause her 'friends' to giggle with her. I looked at her with pity. I am not sure how she was going to make it though life like this. She continues to giggle and once its done she continues. "What not going to defend yourself? Oh that's right dead little Cedric always did that for you." I could see Draco glaring at her out of the corner of my eye. He opens his mouth about to say something but I beat him to it.

"No, there is one, but I am having a hard time lowering my intelligence enough for you to understand it." I say receiving a snort from Blaise. I look over at the three who were not participating in Pansy trying to make a fool of me. Draco and Tracy both had a smirk on their face. I look back to Pansy who was glaring daggers at me.

"Drakie!" She screams which makes me wince a little. I hear him sigh a bit annoyed. "Make her stop!" She whines. I try and fail at containing my laugh which only makers her and her 'friends' glare more at me.

"This is coming from the girl who just accused me of not fighting my own battles," I comment with a smirk. "Now that this is over I will take my leave. Slytherin's" I say and and nod to them before turning and walking away.

"Drakie why didn't you do anything to that whore?" Pansy asks. I roll my eyes.

"Because she made some very valid points today that even I agree with, and if you even had an ounce of sense in you you would too. Just because..." by that point I was to far away to hear what he was saying to her.

* * *

"Enter!" I hear professor Dumbledore say from inside his office. I open his door and enter slowly. I walk over to his desk where he looked up at me with a smile on his face. His eyes danced with happiness behind his half moon glasses. "Miss. Nethers it is a pleasure to see you. I take it your summer was decent?" He asks me.

"It was a challenging time sir. But I think I was able to grow from it." I say he nods in an understanding way.

"I am glad to see that you are faring better then when you left us last year. Now enough of that, what bring you hear today child?" He asks me.

"Well sir, I was wondering if Madame Pomfrey's offer from last year still stands?" I ask him. "I want to become a healer. I want to be able to help save people." I say. His looked at me, and I felt like he might be trying to search for secrets inside my soul. It was a bit unsettling.

"The offer is always open for you Miss. Nethers, but I must warn you now. You will not be able to save everyone. There comes a time in everyone's life that we must meet death. And he never comes for us sooner then he has planned." Professor Dumbledore advises me. I nod my head.

"But I can always help those who are still here until he comes." I say. He nods his head.

"I agree. I will let Madam Pomfrey know that you would like to start a mentoring under her, and I will send you a letter letting you know when she will be able to start." Dumbledore advises me. I agree. "Is there any other questions?" He asks me. I shake my head no. He gives me a small smile. "Then I must ask you one more of my own if you don't mind." I acknowledge that it would be okay for him to ask. "How are your studies on your grandmothers journals coming?"

"To be completely honest sir. Since Cedric's death last year I have not touched them." I say feeling slightly guilty like I had missed a homework assignment. He smiles at me.

"It is quite understandable. But I do want to advise that it may be best if you started at it again. With Voldemort's return your gift may be very helpful against him." Dumbledore says. I nod my head. "Now I do believe I have taken enough of your free period, go and enjoy the rest of the day." He says.

* * *

"You need to stop standing up for me." I comment to Draco that Saturday night in the astronomy tower. "People are actually going to start thinking you like me. And we don't want that." I say with a small smirk as I reach the top stair. Draco was already up here looking out over the darkened grounds of the school. He turns to look at me. I will admit I did slightly dress up for this meeting. But not enough to give away that I was trying to get Draco's attention in that way. I was wearing skin tight blue jeans, and a nice shirt that hugged my features very well. Whenever I would reach up for something or bend though it would show just enough skin to tease. Why I wanted to tease Draco, I still wasn't entirely sure. Sure he was handsome, and he could hold a conversation, and he was humorous at times. But he was still an arrogant prick that was annoying. His eyes land on me and I could see them scan over my body quickly. He was trying to hide the fact that he was looking me over. He quickly looked me in the eyes and there was that intensity again. His eyes had changed from an icy blue to stormy gray. I couldn't quite understand what it meant.

"Well you need to stop making valid arguments." He comments. I laugh. I had stopped by the kitchen and was able to pick up a few snacks for us to munch on. We sat down on the edge together. Our feet handing over the side as we snacked and talked.

"So why did you ask me to come here?" I ask him, he smirks.

"How else were we suppose to see each other?" He asks. I shrug.

"You didn't get along with me for over half the year last year so we really never did have time to think about meeting up." I comment.

"Well you are dating a Weasley." He says. I look over at him. I had forgotten to tell him that I was no longer dating George. I must have had a strange look on my face because he asks. "What?"

"I never got the chance to tell you... or anyone for that matter... George and I broke up, the day of the third task." I comment. I could see anger flash though Draco's eyes instantly.

"They low life dumped you after you best friend had just died!" Draco asks very angry. I laugh, I couldn't help myself.

"No, nothing like that. George and I had come to a mutual agreement before the third task even started." I say. "He and I love each other as friends, but there was nothing there in regards to a romantic relationship." I explain. I could see Draco calming down a bit.

"So you guys are done?" He asks me.

"For now." I say still trying to suppress my giggles at Draco's anger of nothing.

"What do you mean for now?" He asks seriously. He was acting odd. I mean he seemed happy that I wasn't dating George, which its Draco, I kind of was expecting him to be happy because he doesn't like them. But he also seemed, I was not able to describe it.

"Well we made and agreement. If by the time he is thirty and I twenty eight, we had not found the loves of our lives and or happily married, then we will try us again. But that's thirteen years from now. I am hoping that I find someone by then, not that I don't like George." I say. Draco only nods his head. I knew this meant the he no longer wanted to talk about it.

"I am sure like Cedric said you will find someone. Wait... Did Cedric know?" Draco asks me. I shake my head no. "Then why in the letter did he say that he hopes that when you do fall in love, that the guy will love you as much as he did or however he phrased it. He would have still thought you were with George when he wrote it." I think about this for a moment and my brows frown. Draco was right. Cedric wouldn't have known.

"Maybe he could tell that it wasn't George. Or maybe he could tell that I wasn't in love." I say lamely.

"It's possible. You guys were an odd match." Draco comments. I look at him questioningly. "Well your smart and a hard worker and stick to the rules, well the rules that are within reason, he is none of that." Draco comments.

"Your right." I say looking over at him. But George is a good person, a despite their grades the twins are geniuses, only in their own way." I say. He hums in acknowledgment to what I said. I look back out over the darkened grounds. The moon was shining bright and it made the lake shimmer beautifully. With us being so high up it was not hot and we had a nice breeze. "Besides, with the second war coming who knows if either him and I will make it out alive." I say knowing that everyone was at risk of dyeing.

"So you believe Saint Potter?" Draco asks I could hear the sneer in his voice.

"Draco don't pretend. I know he is back and so do you, your father was there that night. Harry told me." I say. I look over at Draco who looks at me. His eyes were back to their icy blue. This time when our eyes met the only changed slightly to have gray flakes in them.

"Do you hate me?" He asks.

"I have never hated you Draco. You should not be held accountable for you fathers choice." I say.

"They want me to becomes one too you know." He says not looking away from me. I frown. I didn't want that fate for him.

"What are you going to do?" I ask him.

"I may not have a choice." He says. I look back out over the lake.

"I would much rather die." I admit. He sighs. I knew this was something neither of us wanted to talk about at the present time. It really shouldn't be something that is a topic in a conversation. But sadly that was our reality.

"We should get going. Its near the end of my shift and I have to meet up with Pansy on the third floor." He says I nod my head and get up. I give him a hug and bid him good night. He leaves first making sure the coast was clear then I went after him.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast not one but three owls swooped in and landed in front of me with a letter attached to each of them. It was odd considering I hardly ever received letters from anyone. Then again normally my friends were here and my parents only usually wrote once a month. I took the letters from each of them, I ended up receiving four letters in total, I had the two I knew to be Henry's and my families owl stay, and gave them each a piece of toast, the bard owl for the school I gave a slice of toast and it flew away. I open the first letter as I took a bite of my own toast.

 _Dear Rey,_

 _Henry is driving me insane! How did you deal with him for four years! I guess this is what you get for moving in with your boyfriend. But then again he has becomes sooooo much more stronger too now that he is on a professional Quidditch team. And he has abs! Ugh they are delicious._

 _Enough about me bragging about Henry's abs how are you? I hope that you loved the kitten. She was not an easy pick. Henry spent a good portion of the summer researching where to find the perfect one. He knew it meant a lot to Cedric. I miss him. I know you do too. But I think he would want us to live rather then cry over something that we could not change. You have to tell me when your first Hogsmeade trip is so that we can come and visit you! I miss you too!_

 _The new job is pretty okay. Okay so I hate it, all they do is try to find new things or ways to make it seem like Dumbledore and Harry are lying, its annoying! I seriously have thought about quitting. A lot. Henry said that he would fully support me if I wanted to. Sadly duty calls. Write back to me soon. And stay out of trouble!_

 _Love,_

 _Tina_

I shake my head and smile widely. She seemed discombobulated though. I think she was still trying to get into the swing of things. I really needed to remind her that 'abs' and delicious should not be In the same sentence. I move to the next letter that came with it. I knew it was from Henry. I open it.

 _Rey,_

 _Do not believe a word Tina says! I swear I meant no harm when I dyed your mothers hair pink! It was Fred and George who suggested it and and it was meant for Tina not your mother. Though I must say your mother can pull off the pink hair, and she laughed about it so I know she wasn't mad! Please don't kill me._

 _Besides that how are you? I am worried about you. You seemed to be doing better but I was worried that I had given you the letter and present to soon. Tina insisted that you would be fine but I have worried either way. How is the new DADA teacher? Is she any good? I head she was a monster from Tina who heard it from a co-worker, I would be cautious of her._

 _Also did you know that Cedric did not work us hard enough? I mean he did trust me... he did. But being a professional is soooo much more training. I have to be up super early and it sucks! I would not suggest this career for you. You are great, don't get me wrong, and I know you are definitely good enough to be a pro, but I have to be to training and ready by five in the morning... and we train for anywhere up to fourteen hours a day! This is like Oliver Wood's Dream... did I mention that I am on a team with him... yeah, his is still just as obsessed with Quidditch as he was two years ago. I honestly think it has gotten worse! I think he sleeps at the pitch too. Not because he has no where to go, but because he loves it so much!_

 _I hope that you are having a good year. And if Tina told you to behave I am going to say do the exact opposite. Don t behave. Be wild and crazy and raise hell!_

 _Lots and lots of love,_

 _Henry_

I smile at his letter. It was nice to hear from my two friends. At this point the hall was still abuzz with talking and laughter but I had tuned them out. I didn't even notice the pair of story gray eyes that were watching me open my mail from afar.

 _My Dearest Rey,_

 _I hope that your first week of school has gone well. I am sorry I did not write too you sooner. Your mother and I have been very busy the past few days. We have decided that its safest at this point not to go home. We have bought a little cottage and hope that some day you can have it for you and your family. We will be staying here for your vacations for the duration of, well however long everything lasts._

 _I must warn you, and you know how I do not mind you breaking the rules normally. But do not dance toe to toe with your newest professor. She is almost if not worse then him. She will not hesitate to use medieval practices on her students and the board of education will fully back her. They have not choice in the matter unfortunately. It is either support her or be fired. I don't want to worry you about the state of politics though, just be a good girl and follow the rules and do not speak out. Not at least until we find a way to get her removed._

 _On a brighter note, Henry turned your mothers hair pink! I was dying of laughter. Your mom at first was not very happy but you know how long that last she was laughing too in no time. You should had been here to see Henry begging us on his knees not to kill him and he swore he was only trying to prank Tina to lighten her up a bit. It was great, to bad we couldn't hold an angry face for longer the a few seconds. Everyone got a good laugh out of it. I hope that you have a wonderful term and I cannot wait to see you at Christmas. Have a safe school year my little ray of sunshine._

 _Love,_

 _Father_

I put the letter down and look up at the staff table to see Umbridge staring out over the crowd of students watching them like a hawk. I took my fathers words seriously and turned to my final letter. This one was very short.

Dear Miss Nethers,

I have spoken with Madam Pomfrey who would like to start your mentoring at the beginning of October. She request your assistance on the weekends only, accommodations for Quidditch and Hogsmeade trips will be made. Your first day will be on Sunday October first. Please be in the Hospital Wing no later then ten that morning.

Sincerely,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

I smile and for the first time in a long time actually feel excited about my future. I reply first to may parents and then to Henry and Tina. I knew I did not need to reply to the headmaster. I told everyone about Tharc and thanked my parents over and over again for allowing me to have her. I did not explain the name to them. I did explain it to Henry and Tina, Tina would want to know where I came up with such a 'ridiculous' name. It was either that or Chrat which I did not like as much. Also, while I was writing the letter I felt Tharc laying on my feet. I notice how she never leaves my side, she even followed me to classes, which the teachers do not allow but she was causing so much of a ruckus in the hallway they let her in. I let my parents, Henry, and Tina know as well that I was going to be okay. I attach the letters to each of the owls, both giving me a friendly little nip before flying away. I watch as they leave though the windows near the top of the ceiling before looking around. My eyes lock with a pare of stormy gray ones sitting across the room from me wearing green robes. I give him a small smile before packing up and heading to the Library where I would be spending my Sunday afternoon with a very bright bushy haired Gryffindor.


	13. Chapter 12

***Quick Note* Here is Chapter 12 everyone! I hope that you enjoy it! This Chapter has a lot of Draco in it! it gives a bit of an insight to how he is feeling about the world around him. Some pretty deep stuff. okay so mildly deep. Thank you for the guest review! I love the feedback! Please remember to review so I know your thoughts about the story!**

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Chapter 12:

"I hate her. I never thought I would say this about any educator ever but I hate her." Hermione says to me as we studied in the transfiguration courtyard in late October. Hermione was not happy with the way Umbridge had been dealing out punishments. She was making students write lines with their own blood. Harry had reported this to professor McGonagall. Then things had gotten heated between her and Umbridge. Thus resulting in the Minster of Magic promoting Umbridge to High inquisitor.

"Well she is not an educator Hermione. She was just assigned by the Minister to try and see if Dumbledore is out to get him." I say. "I wish I did not have to call her Professor she is definitely not one." We were currently writing an essay out of the book about trolls. This was stuff we had learned in first year. I was afraid to know what the first years were learning about.

"Talking bad about our professors Nethers? I think that will earn you a detention." Draco's voice says from behind me. Hermione and I turn to look at him Hermione with a glare and because Hermione was behind me I could smile at him. He wrote on his pad and handed me the paper.

"So now we have no right to speak our minds?" I ask him he smirks. It was his signature smirk he gave everyone. But I could tell by his eyes he was messing with me. He hands me a detention paper and walks away.

"I hate that slimy git." Hermione says. "Just because Umbridge favors them. Now they get to be out of control and give detentions as they please." Hermione ranted. I look down at my detention slip and read. 'detention with Draco Malfoy, Saturday night midnight in the astronomy tower.' I try and contain my smirk. He was a slimy git at times, but he was clever slimy git.

* * *

"Your late." He says as I reach the top of the steps. I look at my watch on my wrist.

"By only five minutes." I comment as I walk over to the railing and sit down.

"Hey this is detention you cannot just sit anywhere you want." He says I look back at him with a smirk. He also held a smirk on his face.

"Oh so I have to do anything you say or the next hour is that it?" I ask. "I couldn't imagine what you would have me do." I say looking away from him with a small laugh.

"Oh I could think of a few things." He says his voice had grown a bit deeper as he said it. I look back to him to see that his eyes were gray again as he looked at me. I give him a questioning look before he walks over and sits next to me. We spend the hour talking about how school was going. I told him about my mentoring and how it was going. He told me about Umbridge and how he believe that she was insane. But because she was in power at the school now his safest bet was to follow her. I did not agree at all with him but this was Draco, and he is expected to follow her. If not then people would start talking then he might get hurt. I know we have had five years of training under our belt but I wouldn't put it past his father to hurt him still.

"You going to let me win next week?" He asks me in regards to the first Quidditch match of the season, Slytherin verses Hufflepuff. I laugh hard.

"Of course I am not going to let you win. We are going to kick yours and all your cheating little friends asses." I say standing up. "Besides it is my birthday just a few days later you should let me win as a birthday present." I say as he stands up. He lets out an over dramatic Ha.

"Only in your dreams." He says.

"I don't dream about Quidditch, I am not Oliver Wood." I comment. He smirks.

"Then what sort of dreams do you have about me?" He asks. I look at him confused. I had never had a dream about Draco that I could remember.

"I have never had a dream about you." I state. "Why have you had them about me?" I ask him. He shakes his head with a small smile and rubs the back of his neck. His normal pale cheeks tinting red slightly.

"You're my best friend Rey, I have dreams about our childhood, before it went bad." He says. I nod me head accepting it but from the way he was acting he seemed to not be telling me everything.

"Are you sure I am your best friend?" I ask him. "Because you and Blaise seem pretty close." I comment he laughs and pulls me into a hug first. This was a first and after my moment of shock I hug him back. He pulls out of the hug and holds me by the shoulders at arms length.

"You are my best friend. You always will be no matter what happens okay?" He asks me I smile and nod my head. He drops his hands before walking over to the stairway and leaving before me.

* * *

Curse Draco Malfoy! That night after the meeting I did have a dream about him. In fact I had dreams about him almost every other night. It was becoming increasingly annoying, yet at the same time I enjoyed them. I had come to the conclusion that it was just because he mentioned it to me. The dreams were all different, but at the same time they ended the same, in a way. They would all end with Draco telling me that he wanted to be with me, or with him kissing me, or about to kiss me. It was probably nothing. I would have to sneak one of the dream interpretation books from the library the next time I went.

* * *

It was now mid November. My birthday had come and gone. I had received another charm on my bracelet that Cedric had given me in first year. I was shocked. I was not expecting one to appear now that he was gone. It was the symbol for eternity in both of the ovals that connected there was two different items. One was a heart shaped ruby, in the other was that of three little people holding hands. I had kind of figured out what it meant but I wanted a second opinion so I went to Hermione and to Luna. They both agreed that it represented that love and friendship was eternal. It was by far my favorite of the charms. I had received a lot more presents this year as well. Fred and George had given me a free box of their products. Hermione had given me a muggle book collection from and author called Jane Austin. I also received an assortment of different candies from other people. My parents had bought me a locket with theirs and my picture in it from when I was a baby. Draco, however, did not send me anything. I was a bit disappointed when I did not receive a present from him. He might have still been angry with me for knocking him off of his broom during the Quidditch match. This resulted in Hufflepuff beating Slytherin that match.

* * *

It was another Hogsmeade trip now. Hermione had asked me to join her and the others at the Hogs head. She said that they were trying to form a group of students to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts. She figured since Umbridge wasn't going to teach them someone had to and Harry was the best qualified. I made sure that no one was watching me as I slipped down the path to the Hogs Head. No one ever came to this pub and when I got there I was surprised to see how many people had shown up. I take a seat towards the back near the exit. Hermione clears her throat and begins.

"So you all know why we are hear, we need a teacher. A proper teacher, One who has had real experience against the Dark Arts." Hermione starts off a bit nervous but her confidence grows with her words.

"Why?" One of the boys who was a year younger then me and in my house asks. Ron turns to him with a slight glare.

"Becuase You-Know-Who is back that's why." Ron defends his friends.

"So he says." The boy replies back.

"So Dumbledore says." Hermione says.

"And Dumbledore says because he says. The point is where is the proof?"

"I am not sure why my best friend's death is not proof enough. Would you like for you-know-who to do a little tap dance in front of you for more proof." I ask a bit coldly. I feel like Harry was being attacked and no one had the right to do that to him.

"Maybe if Harry told us some more about how Cedric died." A Ravenclaw boy suggested. It went silent for a moment and I went to open my mouth to reply but Harry spoke first.

"I'm not going to talk about Cedric so if that is why you are here you can all just clear out now." He says. He turns to Hermione and starts to whispers something to her.

"Is it true you can produce the Patronus charm?" Luna asks making everyone freeze and look at her. Harry looked shocked at her question.

"Yes," Hermione says. "I have seen it."

"Blimey Harry I didn't know you could do that." Dean Thomas says in amazement.

"A-and remember in second year. Harry killed the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. With the sword that's hanging in Dumbledore's office." Neville Longbottom says also standing up for Harry. I smile.

"It's true." Ginny says. The poor girl would know since she was awoken after he had killed it.

"And in our third year he fought off about one hundred dementors." Ron adds.

"Not to mention he faced off against you-know-who and professor Quirrell at the end of our first year." I add.

"And last year he really did fight off you-know-who in the flesh."

"Wait..." Harry says stopping everyone from praising him. "Look it all sounds great when you put it like that. But it was all mostly luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time and I always had loads of help."

"He's just being modest." Hermione says.

"No Hermione I'm not." He says looking at her. "In the first year I would not have made it passed any of the obstacles without Hermione's intellect, or Ron's chess skills. In the second year I didn't even know it was a basalik until I found the book page Hermione had ripped out in one of the school books. Third year I wouldn't have survived if it had not been for Rey going back to get Professor Snape when I had passed out from the attack." He explains why he was not as heroic as everyone was making him out to be. He sighs. "Facing this stuff, in real life, is not like school. In school if you make a mistake you can always come back tomorrow and try it again. But out there when you are seconds away from being murdered, or watching a friend die... You don't know what that's like."

"You're right Harry we don't. That's why we need your help. Because it may be the only chance we have at beating... V-voldemort." Hermione says.

"He's really back?" a second year Gryffindor asks. Harry nods his head. Everyone looks at one another.

"Where do we sign up?" Dean asks. I smile. Harry, Ron and Hermione all set up behind a table. The trio were the first to sign the list that is titled Dumbledore's Army. We all get into a line. I am standing behind Fred and George. After I sign my name Hermione gives me a golden coin that looks like a Galleon.

"These will allow us to keep in touch to let us know when and where the meeting are." Hermione says to everyone after the last person signs the list. "Once we get a location we will contact you by these coins and let you know when and where to meet." She says. We all start to head out. Before I leave though I am stopped by Cho.

"He was really only ever like a brother to you wasn't he?" She asks me meekly. I nod my head yes. "I'm sorry, for the way I treated you." She says I nod my head and walk past her.

* * *

Every Tuesday and Thursday we would meet in the Room of Requirements. I was becoming good at a lot of the spells Harry was teaching us, but I still struggled with a lot of them too. I think the best student was Ginny, she was a bit scary at times to be honest. Draco would try to get me alone in the hallways to ask what was going on and why I had been distant from him. Eventually, I had received an owl from him requesting I meet him in the Astronomy tower at midnight the Saturday before we left for holiday. I wasn't going to go. Draco had ignored me and now that I seemed to not be affected by him ignoring me, he wanted attention. Well I wasn't going to give it to him.

And yet. Here I was climbing the stairs to the astronomy tower. My curiosity had gotten the better of me and I wanted to know what he had wanted. I reach the top step to see that Draco had made sure the room was protected from the blistering cold and snow storm that was raging outside. He was facing away from me dressed in his black blazer and a black turtle neck with long black pants. He was not standing tall like he normally would. His head was bent down as his arms held him against the railing. It was quiet all I could hear was our breathing and the wind.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" He asks.

"Why did you avoid me?"

"I asked first."

"You avoided me first." I state. He stands tall and turns to looks at me. He was even more handsome then before. I could feel my breath getting caught in my throat. I realized how ridiculous I was being. I had just seen him this afternoon. But somehow, even though he was handsome in his school robes, him being in normal clothing made him much more appealing.

"You knocked me off my broom." He states.

"It was an accident."

"You didn't say you were sorry."

"You wouldn't let me." I say. It was silent for a few moments as we looked at each other. "I am sorry Draco. I didn't mean to knock you off your broom." I say.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" he asks.

"I have been busy lately."

"With what?" He asks.

"Why? So you can pass it along to Umbridge?" I ask him.

"Well if you are not doing anything against the rules I wont have anything to pass along to her would I?" He asks.

"So you are just trying to get me in trouble? Is that what it is?" I ask a bit hurt.

"Really, Rey is that what you think?" He asks sounding a bit frustrated.

"I don't know what to think or who to trust anymore." I admit. "The last time we were here you told me I was your best friend. Now you are trying to dig for information to land me in detention where I will have to use my own blood to write lines. What sort of friend does that?"

"I am not trying to hurt you I am trying to get to Potter!" He says he was clearly annoyed.

"Well you cannot hurt him without hurting me." I say. He stands there for a moment and looks at me. His eyes narrow.

"Your dating Potter..." He says. I look at him like he grew and extra head.

"What?" I ask him seeing if I had heard him right.

"Your dating scar head that's why you have been avoiding me and wont tell me anything." He says. I groan in frustration and turn to look out of the opposite side of the Astronomy tower.

"I am not dating Harry and stop calling him names." I say and turn my head to look over at him.

"See there you just defended him."

"I also said I wasn't dating him!" I say annoyed.

"Why would you defend him then?"

"Because Harry is my friend and he already gets enough shit from people who should be supporting him. I don't want to hear shit coming out of your mouth when he is not around!" I scream at him.

"So your friends with him now? That is why? They don't want you hanging around with me?"

"They don't even know Draco, no one knows. You are being ridiculous." I say trying to calm down. "Why are you even acting like this?" I ask him.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"Jealous. You have always been jealous of Harry and his friends. And now whenever it comes to me having any interaction with and other person, particularly males, you become jealous as well. You have everything Draco, your family is rich. What possibly makes you jealous of other people?" I ask.

"Their freedom." He says the most calm he had been that evening. "Your freedom." He says. "You get to chose what you want to do with your life. And you are fully supported by everyone around you. But I don't, I am expected to live up to their expectations. If I don't then I die." He says to me. "I am also jealous of when you talk to other males because you have the freedom to chose who you want to be with. I am expected to be with Pansy." He says.

"And you don't really want that." I comment. I felt slightly bad. "If you did have the chose what would you chose? What sort of life would you want?" I ask him.

"It doesn't matter." He says looking down and away from me. "It will never happen."

"Why could it not? And besides its not bad to dream a better dream. There is always still hope." I try and offer.

"Because no one would trust me as an Auror and the girl that I want to be with doesn't see me in that way." He says quickly. It is silent for a moment and in that time I walk over to him to stand next to him.

"I would trust you." I say. "And as for the girl. I am not sure what to say. I honestly suck at relationship advice." I say I see a smile place on his lips and he laughs a little. "What's so funny?" I ask him. He shakes his head.

"I would not take relationship advice from you." He say. I glare at him.

"Well fine then I will just be..." I turn to walk away, joking of course, but he quickly grabs my upper arm and spins me around cutting my joking off. We were close. In fact this was the closes we had ever been to one another and I could feel my heart racing. His face and his eyes his lips were so close to mine. If I just lean in slightly I would be kissing him. His gaze was intense and it my my stomach do flips. It was at that moment I had realized that I was falling for Draco. And it scared me.

"I don't need relationship advice because I know her. She's still young, so am I, it's just not our time yet. Though..." He cuts off and quickly looks down at my lips. Oh god was he talking about me? Did he want to kiss me? Please kiss me. No wait that could ruin everything. Ugh I am so confused."I wouldn't mind kissing her at times. She can be a tease." He says. My mouth was dry. I wanted it to be me. I wanted him to admit that right here right now but he didn't.

"Will you tell me who it is?" I manage to get out without a quiver in my voice. How I will never know. He smirks that annoying smirk of his.

"You always want to know about everything don't you?" He asks me.

"Yes it is a defect of mine, but stop trying to change the subject." I say. He finally steps away from me popping the bubble we had just created.

"You will find out when she does. If she ever does. As I said, I don't have a choice." He says. I give him a sad smile. It was passed our hour at that point and I knew Pansy would give him hell. I hugged him like I always do when we leave but this time. When we went to pull away I kissed his cheek. It surprised him. I know it did because I was the one that left first that night. Leaving Draco standing there.


	14. Chapter 13

*****QUICK NOTE*** I am sorry this one is coming out later then normal guys, My laptop died (good thing i back up with my PC and email) and then I had hurt my foot! so then I couldn't sit at my PC to write! And i have been a bit obsessed with World of Warcraft in the past few weeks! But I would like to thank everyone for their comments! I am glad you guys are enjoying the story! Please remember to review!**

* * *

Chapter 13:

"Hermione I have a problem and I am not sure who to turn to." I say as I walk up to her in the library. We had just returned from holiday and if things were not bad before they were now. Umbridge had placed even more rules on us. She had formed and inquisitor squad. Which stripped all prefects of their duties and gave it to whoever signed up for her squad. All were Slytherins. And sad to say Draco was leader of said squad. They were to follow people who they thought were suspicious around school to try and catch them doing something against the rules. They would disperse punishment as they pleased. This meant Pansy was on my heels at all times. Luckily it was early on a Saturday morning and I knew she wouldn't be up. I look around and make sure now one was near us.

"What sort of problem?" She asks me.

"Umm feeling problems?" I ask her and am unsure if that was the right question to ask. Hermione gives me a curious look before standing up.

"Come with me." She says. I follow her to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room. She says the password, which out of respect for the house I covered my ears. The portrate that was guarding the enterence seemed to like that and allowed me to pass. As we were heading in Ginny was about to head out. Hermione grabs her by her upper arm. "I Need your help." Hermione says. Before Ginny could protest. I look around their common room. It was similar and different from the common room in Hufflepuff. I liked it here about as much as I liked it in my own house. It was warm and cozy.

Hermione brings Ginny and I up a flight of spiral staircases until we reach the door that says girls year five. She enters and Ginny and I follow her. She checks the bathrooms to make sure no one is there and then places a silencing charm over the door.

"What's with the effort Hermione? Are you going to finally profess your love for my brother?" Ginny asks with a smirk taking a seat on one of the maroon beds. Hermione glares at the red head.

"No." She says shortly and takes a seat of her own I sit next to Ginny. "Rey has a feelings problem and I figured she would like some privacy when telling me. Though I think I know what these feelings are and I need your help." Hermione says to Ginny. Ginny nods understanding and they both turn to me.

"I think I may like someone." I state.

"Obviously." Hermione says. Ginny gives her a sideways glance.

"Who is it?" Ginny asks looking back at me.

"You guys wont like them." I say.

"Well it doesn't matter if we like them." Ginny says.

"As long as its not Malfoy." Hermione adds. I must have made a slight wince because Hermione caught it and her eyes widened a little. "Rey please tell me you..."

"What?" Ginny asks.

"Rey fancies Malfoy." Hermione says. "How could you he treats you like trash. He treats you worse then he treats me."

"It's an act." I say to them. They both look at me confused. "Draco and I have been attempting to be friends for some time now. We have been meeting in secret every so often, just to hang out and..."

"Somewhere between being friends and hanging out you seen the real Malfoy and fell for him." Ginny says.

"This is dangerous." Hermione says.

"I find it romantic." Ginny says.

"It's impossible." I say to them. "Draco does like someone else..."

"Pansy." The girls say in unison. I shake my head no.

"No he loathes her to no end. But he does like someone else he just cannot be with her." I say.

"Did he tell you who?" Ginny asks me. I shake my head no.

"He says it doesn't matter because he can never have that life. He feels like he has no choice for himself. And it gets worse." I say.

"What can be worse then being intended to Parkinson?" Ginny asks which caused us all to giggle for a moment.

"No seriously guys. There is something worse. He is expected to becomes a Death Eater." Ginny and Hermione look at each other.

"We know he is. Everyone knows he is." Hermione says.

"He doesn't want it." I say, the two girls look at me like I had grown a second head.

"I'm sorry to say this but he is probably lying Rey." Hermione says. "He has been trained to hate people like me and you."

"She has a point." Ginny says.

"Then why waist all his time with me if he really felt that way?" I ask.

"And that is a solid point as well." Ginny says. Hermione and I both look at her. She holds up her hands. "I was dragged here I get to be Switzerland." she says in her defense. All three of us are silent or a moment before we all start laughing. After we calm down I look at both of them.

"What should I do?" I ask them. They look to one another.

"Wait." Both of them say at the same time.

"With the war pending to explode at any moment, the best thing to do when you have feelings for a possible death eater is wait." Hermione says.

"But what if this can stop him from becoming one of them?" I ask.

"You said it yourself though Rey, he said he doesn't feel like he has a choice. He needs to realize he does before anything would be able to happen between the two of you." Ginny says.

"Just try to keep your heart safe for now." Hermione says. I nod my head.

"It's not what I wanted to hear, but you guys are right. Just promise me you will not breath any of this to a soul? I am afraid of what will happen to Draco if his parents found out." I ask. They agree to keep it a secret. I believe it was because like me, even though he was their school yard bully, they did not want to see him harmed. I leave and head to go to the room of requirements. I look to make sure no one was watching before I entered. I had left the box of my grandmothers journals in here last year. The room was the same and the trunk I stored them in was still intact. No one had been in here. I open the trunk and pull out the last journal I had touched.

"Okay grandmother I need your help." I say out loud. I was not expecting a reply and none came. I calm my self voiding my minds of all thoughts before opening them again. In the middle of the room was the stand with a plastic cup on it. I focus on the cup. I stair at it trying to get it to levitate. Nothing happens. I blink and refocus. I wanted it to levitate or move. And it did. It moved slightly to the right. I smile excited. I hold my hand out in front of me. I move my hand as if I was doing the spell.

"wingardium leviosa" I whisper as I did the wand movement with my hand. The cup went flying up into the air and started to hoover. I gasp in excitement and surprise.

"Rey?" I hear a voice from behind me. I lose focus and the cup falls to the ground as I spin around to see Harry standing in the doorway. I must have forgotten to ask the door to disguise the place. I mental kick myself. Harry is looking at something on the ground next to me. I look down at the leather covered book and pick it up. Closing it quickly and I bring it over to the trunk and place it in there closing the lid and locking it. I turn to Harry. "Care to explain?" He asks me. I didn't know what to say. I obviously couldn't lie he had seen me.

"I have a gift Harry. One that no one can know about." I say. "Dumbledore wants me to train myself."

"This is why Cedric said keep you safe? He knew?" He asks me. I nod my head.

"Harry its imperative that you keep this from everyone. If the wrong person found out, if _he_ found out. I would be dead."

"What is it that you can do?" he asks me.

"I supposedly am able to do wandless magic. In my grandmothers notebook she said if mastered it could be even more powerful then a wands magic." I say.

"And Dumbledore gave you whatevers in that chest?" He asks eyeing the chest that held the books.

"Yes, they are her notebooks from when she was training herself. He is hopeing that it will help me. He thinks that I have potential to master it." I say.

"Wouldn't that make you the most powerful witch of our time?" He asks.

"Wouldn't that be something _he_ wants to win this war?" I ask. Harry nods understanding. "I am not even sure I can do it Harry. I can hardly levitate a cup." I say.

"We will practice it then." He says. I looked a him confused.

"We?" I ask him. He nods his head.

"I want to help you Rey. If I end up dead I am going to need someone help carry on the fight." He says.

"Harry I am a Hufflepuff. They will laugh in my face." I say.

"It will give our side the element of surprise then." He says.

"I meant both sides will laugh in my face." I say.

"No they wont. If someone is willing to fight for whats right our side will stand with them. It doesn't matter what house they are in." Harry says.

"Even Slytherin?" I ask.

"Well no Slytherin is going to fight for our cause so we don't have to think about it. But if it was a Slytherin I believe they would fight with them as well." Harry says. I nod my head. "Lets see what we have here." Harry says walking over to the chest. I unlock it again and step aside for him to look. Harry helps me a great deal and I was able to levitate the cup and move it across the end of the room by the end of the night. The room of requirements created a passage way to a abandoned class room on the sixth floor. The seventh floor was unusually busy. We both stepped out of the class room. Only to run into Draco and Blaise. Draco's eyes flicked from me to Harry then back to me quickly. And they looked angry.

"What were you doing in that classroom?" Draco asks us.

"Learning." Harry says smartly back to him. Draco's eyes narrow.

"You think you are funny Potter." Draco sneers. "Two months detention." He says.

"You have no authority to give that sort of punishment." Harry says outrageous.

"As head of the Inquisitor Squad I find that I do have that authority. Would you like to make it another month?" He asks. Harry was about to say something but I cut him off.

"Harry just let it go." I whisper to him. Draco narrows his eyes to me.

"And you." He says pointing to me. Oh god he was going to give me just as long of a punishment. "Professor Umbridge would like a word with you." He says.

"A word with me?" I ask.

"Are you deaf yes with you. I will let her give you your punishment as she sees fit." Draco says and grabs my upper arm and pulls me away from the group.

"I will see you later I guess Harry." I say as I am dragged painfully down that hallway. Once we are out of ear shot and away from anyone else Draco lets go of my arm and walks a few paces in front of me. I rub my arm.

"You probably left a bruise you know." I say annoyed at him.

"What were you doing with Potter in that classroom?" He asks me thought gritted teeth.

"Well I would reply learning but I fear I may end up with three months detention." I reply back. He looks at me with a glare. I roll my eyes. "I was trying to practice a spell I was learning in one of my classes and Harry happened to walk in. He was just trying to help." I say. "Merlin what has your wand up your ass?" I ask him.

"You lied to me Rey. Why would you lie to me about dating him!" He asks me.

"I didn't! I'm not dating Harry! I told you what happened!" I say annoyed.

"And you expect me to believe that when the two of you just walked out of an abandon classroom you were just alone in?" He asks me. I sigh audibly in frustration.

"Fine believe what you want I am done fighting with you I am way to tired for this."I say and start to walk away.

"Wait Rey..." He says trying to stop me. I do stop but I don't look back at him.

"No Draco. I don't want to hear you say sorry. You need to trust me when I tell you something. If you cannot do that then how am I suppose to trust you?" I say. "When you figure that out you know where to find me." I say and start to walk.

"But I do trust you."

"You said you would never lie to me Draco. Please don't break it out of jealousy." I say and walk away.

* * *

One week. A week had passed and Draco had not even acknowledged my existence. It hurt bad. Not to mention I kept feeling worse and worse. Not emotionally. Physically. I was experiencing fervor like behavior. I was hardly eating anything because my stomach was becoming increasingly nauseous the more I ate. I was lightheaded, and I was growing weak. All my sense were screaming at me to go to the hospital wing. But I didn't want to interrupt Madam Pomfrey and whatever this was my healing should have fixed it. Then again it wasn't a physical wound. I still hadn't master internal wounds and ailments with my own powers yet.

It was getting worse. I was feeling disoriented and I knew I needed to get to the hospital wing. But it was getting late and close to curfew. I had no clue where I was at. I remember walking out of my common room but I really had no clue where I was now in the castle. I started to panic and I started to lose balance. I stumble into the wall. I feel like I couldn't breath I needed to stop for a moment. I pressed my forehead against one of the cool glass windows and sigh as the cool glass came in contact with my skin. I wasn't sure how long I had been standing there but it helped relieve the heat I was feeling.

"Rey..." I hear someone's voice in the distance. I don't move afraid if I do then I will becomes nauseous. "Rey look at me." The voice demanded. I still didn't move. I feel someone's hand on my arm and they turn me towards them. I open my eyes a little to see Draco standing there. He looked worried. I felt is hand on my forehead. "Damn it Rey we need to get you to the hospital wing." He says worried.

"I can go myself... I just needed to..." I say but feel myself to tired to finish my sentence. I didn't even know I was falling into the wall until Draco grabbing me to prevent me to fall jerked me back to reality.

"Rey what happened?" He asks me.

"I'm sick." I say quietly. I feel my feet get knocked out from under me and I gasp and grab for Draco's robes. He was carrying me.

"It would be easier to carry you if you wasn't so tense." He says,

"Shoud... have... warned...m..." But I didn't finish that sentence. I had blacked out.

* * *

"I expect her to be in classes tomorrow do you understand me." I hear a very unpleasant voice says near me. I stay still. I was unsure where I was and I really didn't want to open my eyes until they were gone.

"She was poisoned!" Another person says. "She hasn't even fully recovered yet!" The nurse says.

"Well if you were actually good at what you practiced then she would be. You need to figure out a way to have her in her classes tomorrow or you are fired!" The other persons voice says. I hear her marching out of the room and I open my eyes just enough to see the pink of Umbridge's robe's turn the corner. I look to the foot of my bed to see Madam Pomfrey with a scold on her face in the direction Umbridge had just left.

"I was hoping that hearing her was a horrific nightmare." I croak out. This shook Madam Pomfrey out of her look and she looked at me shocked.

"Miss. Nethers you are awake! Oh thank Heavens." She says and comes over to me. She examines me, which to be honest kind of exhausted me and made me want to go back to sleep. "You were poisoned Miss. Nethers. Do you have any idea who did this to you?" She asks me.

"No." I answer truthfully. "I just remember over the past week I have become more and more ill. I think I was on my way here. I don't really remember." I admit honestly.

"Well you were all the way on the other side of the castle when Mr. Malfoy found you." She says as she checks my eyes.

"Malfoy?" I ask confused. I didn't really remember seeing him.

"Yes the boy was in a panic when he brought you in. carried you the whole way here. Was very demanding too." She says. "Said you had just passed out. You had a horrible fever that we couldn't break until about yesterday." She say. "Whoever was poisoning you was taking their time. They must have been giving it to you in small increments."

"Why do you say that?" I ask her. I didn't want to react to Draco carrying me all the way here just yet.

"They gave you a highly lethal poison. If administered all at once your body would have shut down completely in 30 minutes." She says I nod my head. "They must have given you close to the whole bottle by the time you got here."

"Why do you say close to?" I ask.

"Because if you were to take the last drop of that potion you would be dead. I was able to get the poison out of you system but it took a long time. Professor Umbridge is not happy at all. She doesn't want word of this attack getting out, it will put her reputation on the line. She has been demanding you out of the hospital for a week now and will not allow me to contact St. Mungo's. I would have had you healed sooner deary if she would have let me had a healer come to you. But I had to make due with what we had here." She says as she checks my pulse. I am quiet for a moment as I let her finish her work on me.

"I want to keep you in the hospital wing for another week for observation." Madam Pomfrey says.

"What about your job?" I ask. She smiles.

"She cannot fire me. Even if she was headmistress she would have to go to the board first and they would be the ones to decide if I am fired. It is out of her control." I smile and nod. "Now get some rest Rey. I am sure you will be having visitors here shortly, they always come around the same time." She says.

* * *

"Madam Pomfrey said she had woken up." I hear Ron's voice.

"She's been poised Ronald she needs all the rest she can get after that." I hear Hermione snap at him.

"Not going to get much rest with you two bickering like and old married couple." I mumble loud enough for whoever was around me could hear. I hears someone snicker beside me and I open my eyes to see Hermione on my left with Ron next to her and Harry on my right.

"Look now you have gone and woke her up." Hermione argues with Ron.

"Well if you would much rather be creepy and watch me while I sleep. I would be more then happy to fall back to sleep for you Hermione." I say. This makes Harry burst out into laughter and Ron snicker.

"Oh Rey you know that's not what I mean by that." Hermione says with a slight blush on her face from embarrassment.

"We have missed you." Harry says.

"Yeah especially the twins." Ron says.

"They have been up here every day. Along with Ginny and Luna." Hermione adds.

"Even everyone in the DA misses you too." Harry says.

"How is that going?" I ask.

"Good. Malfoy's been a bit of a bastard lately though." Ron says. I nod my head.

"I think he is starting to figure out what is going on." Harry says.

"But Umbridge cannot do anything until she has proof." Hermione says.

"We are going to start Patronus tonight." Harry says. I smile. I had always wanted to learn that. It had been one of the things I wanted to learn most out of DA since I learned that Harry could do it. The I realized I wouldn't be able to attend tonight and I frown.

"I would have loved to come tonight. I have always wondered what sort of Patronus I would have. Looks like I wont ever get to see." I say.

"I will teach you once you are out of here. I am sure everyone will be more then willing help you catch up on what you have missed." Harry says. I knew he meant he would help teach me during when I was practicing for my wandless magic. I smile and thank them all. They sat around and told me what I had missed, apparently I have been out for three weeks. I hadn't realized that. Hermione kept saying that if Madam Pomfrey was able to contact out of the castle for supplies I would have only been out a week. She was just as unhappy as Madam Pomfrey about this. She even mentioned that she wrote to my parents but the mail was being checked now and Umbridge had it destroyed.

"She has taken over the school. It's only a matter of time before She takes Dumbledore's job." She says.

"Well let's hope that it doesn't come to that." I say. Little did any of us know that tonight was the night we would be betrayed. That Cho would give in and she would tell Umbridge of the DA. That the minister of Magic would come. That Dumbledore would be accused of conspiring against the Ministry and would be sentenced to Azkaban on the spot without a trail. None of us knew that Dumbledore would escape, but in his escape the Minster would appoint Umbridge as the Headmistress of Hogwarts.


	15. Chapter 14

****Quick Note** I am so sorry, a lot has been going on and I have honestly not been writing that much I really am sorry this came out so late! Please review!**

* * *

Chapter 14

'I will not participate in illegal organizations.' 'I will not participate in illegal organizations.' I wrote over and over, the pain and rawness of my left hand was numb at this point. This was going to leave a scar for the rest of my life. I look up at Umbridge as she looked out over the DA with a satisfied smirk. Next to her stood Draco who was also keeping watch over everyone. He held his smirk too. It annoyed everyone, even me, that could be the pain talking though. He would lock eyes with me every so often and his smirk would fall just slightly only I would notice though.

"That is enough for tonight. I expect all of you back here tomorrow evening for your detention." Umbridge's sickly sweet voice says from her throne. I finish my sentence, so that I would not have an uneven wound. Others had already headed out of the hall. They didn't care how bad their wounds turned out they wanted to get way from this hell. I wrapped my hand in a bandage I would be able to discard later and left the great hall. I went to the second floor bathroom to clean my wound. I wash it out first then go to apply a cream that I had made, it wouldn't take away the pain completely but it would help heal it faster.

"I don't see why you don't just heal yourself." I hear a voice say from behind me I jump knocking the cream to the floor. Before it could hit the floor though I hover my hand over it like I was trying to reach for it and it stops and floats in mid air. I let it slowly lower to the floor before turning around and facing Draco.

"This is the girls lavatory." I state the obvious.

"You are out after curfew, the rules clearly state that I can come in here to retrieve you and give you detention and force you back to the common room." Draco says.

"The rules also say that guys and girls are not permitted within eight inches of each other so you would be breaking your own laws which is very hypocritical of you and of Umbridge Really." I state.

"Don't try changing subjects Rey. Why are you not healing yourself?" he asks me.

"I am, I clean it and put cream on it every night." I say.

"But you don't need to do that. You can heal yourself without potions and creams. You can place your hand over it and it heals. You did it when we first met Rey, don't think I don't remember it. You have a healing ability no one else does. Why not use it on yourself?" Draco asks me.

"Because I don't want to, its going to scar regardless and the more I heal it the more it will hurt the next day."

"Then numb it."

"I can't! I don't have medicine running though my blood, I can only heal."

"And do wandless magic." He points out. I open my mouth to deny it. He holds up his hand to stop me. "You mended my pants too and you just stopped your jar from smashing into peaces. I am not dumb so don't try and lie to me." He says. I look down at the floor.

"Draco you are not suppose to know. No one is. If the wrong person found out then I would be dead." I say quietly.

"You mean the Dark Lord?" He asks.

"Yes, if Voldemort knew, he would demand me be on his side. I would say no. I would be dead. That's why." I says.

"Who knows?"

"Dumbledor, Harry, and now you." I say. He is glaring at me. Hurt showing in his eyes.

"Saint Potter knew before me? Before you best friend?" Draco asks hurt. "How do you expect me to trust you if..."

"I didn't tell him. He found me practicing the day you decided to be an ass to me. There was not way that I could lie to him after he had watched me." I say cutting him off. The was a stabbing pain in my hand, a part that I had not placed any cream on yet and I wince in pain. I turn away from Draco and bend down to pick up the cream only for my good hand to collide with Draco's pale one. I pull back. I must have not seen him coming over to help. He picks it up and we both stand.

"Let me see your hand." he says. I give him my bad hand and he gently takes it. I feel myself grow warm and goosebumps start to form on my arms from just the light touch. I was glad my robes were covering it. He takes some cream from the container and slowly starts to rub it on my hand. He focus on his work and I watch him closely. Not because I didn't trust him. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He always looked handsome but they way he was concentrating on my skin as he made sure not to hurt me of me was fascinating to watch. Once he was done rubbing the cream into my hand he placed the new bandage I had pulled out onto it and then wrapped my hand to secure the bandage.

"Thank you for everything." I say when he finished. He looks up at me a bit confused. "You could have left me in the corridor to die the night I was sick."

"I could never have did that Rey. And I am sorry for the way that I have been acting. I trust you I really do, just please don't keep secrets from me." He says.

"Well I can't tell you everything. But I will tell you what I can. And I should have told you why I was with Harry though you didn't believe him and I was sure you wouldn't believe me." He smirks.

"Probably not. At least not then." He says. It's quiet for a moment as we both look at each other. I then step closer to him and hug him. He hugs me back and I hear him sigh and feel him relax. I feel myself relax too as I inhale his sent and my head leans against his chest. We stand like that for a few minutes just enjoying the feeling of being in each others arms and not fighting anymore. But we were friends and I shouldn't be enjoying this. Hermione and Ginny's words come back to me. Don't act on it, you will only end up hurt.

"Your breaking the rules." I say into his chest. I hear his laugh rumble in his chest and he pulls away.

"Well you are an exception." He says. I laugh and shake my head as I turn to my things and start putting them in my bag.

"Is that what Pansy tells you when she clings to you?" I ask with a smirk.

"I was being nice Rey." He states sounding offered.

"I am sorry. It was uncalled for. But seriously I have heard her say it before." I state.

"And if you were listening then you know I told her that she's not worth it." He says.

"What makes me so special?" I ask.

"You're my best friend."

"Yeah but she is your future wife." I retort.

"You don't annoy me." He says.

"Good point." I say looking back at him and laughing. I fling my bag over my shoulder. "I should be going. Not everyone else on the inquisitor squad likes me." I say.

"Not true. Blaze thinks you are hilarious and Greengrass thinks highly of you. It's just everyone else that you have to worry about." He says with a smirk. I smile at him and walk past him. I get to the door and open it. "Hey Rey." Draco says and I turn to him.

"Yes?"

"Saturday? Same time and place?" He asks me.

"We will see... Show up and if I decide to come I will be there." I say with a smirk.

"Why do I have a feeling that I am going to get stood up?" He states.

"You would only be stood up if it was a date." I state and turn and leave.

* * *

"We plan on leaving." George says to me in the back of the library in the beginning of May. I did end up going to be with Draco that Saturday evening, there was no way to resist that. We use to do it ever other week, but Draco asked to do it every week. I think he had missed me. And I had missed him as well. Even if he was an ass.

I was currently studying for my Charms O.W.L.s which I found out was going to be my first test on Monday. Fred and George, to many others shock in the Library, had actually entered the room. Apparently they have never been in here before.

"What do you mean?" I ask them.

"We feel that we have learned all we can from here and it's time to end our education." Fred says.

"You have a month left." I comment.

"We know but we feel Umbridge is holding us back from our true potential love." George says. I frown I wasn't ready for them to go. It would be depressing without their antics.

"When will you be leaving?" I ask them.

"The end of next week." They answer together.

"You mean to tell me, you are waiting to leave at the end of when I am taking my O.W.L.s which means I cannot spend any time with you guys up until then?" I ask making it seem like I was growing more angry with the sentence. They started to get that worried look in their faces like when their mother is really mad at them.

"Love if it helps we are going out with a bang." George says. I sigh.

"I am just more depressed you guys are going. It is going to be horrid around here. I may consider asking my parents to have me home schooled next year if Umbridge is still around. Maybe have all the DA members come too. Maybe hire Lupin to be our professor." I tell them my back up plan.

"Well hopefully she's not around." they says. I nod my head.

* * *

"You are here before me. This is new. You wanted to see me that bad?" Draco's voice comes from behind me. I turn to look at him and his amused smirk drops. "Rey what's wrong?" He asks me.

"I am not suppose to tell anyone but I need to. I am worried and its starting to overwhelm me." I say.

"What's going on?" He asks me.

"Draco, you have to promise me that no matter what I tell you, you will not tell anyone. No matter how bad you want to." I say.

"I promise." he says without hesitation.

"Even if it breaks all the rules?" I ask him.

"Rey, what is going on?" He asks me walking over to me. I explain to him about Fred and George leaving. I told him how I worried about them. Worried that they wouldn't be able to pull it off, worried about if their store will take off, about their future without a complete education. And Draco sat and listened to me.

"I think you don't need to worry about anything Rey. I think they will be fine. As must as I hate to admit this I think those two are more likely to be okay." He says "And as much as this would get me so much more authority I will not say anything." He says. "Your happiness is more important then getting ahead with Umbridge." He says. I smile and hide my blush by hugging him.

"Thank you Draco." I say slightly muffled from the hug. We spend more time together then we normally do, I didn't end up back in my dorm room until around three in the morning.

"You shouldn't have stayed out so late. Especially with him." Hermione says to me the next morning in the Library. It was our last day of study before our O.W.L.s

"I know I shouldn't have stayed out that late. But I also don't regret it." I state.

"He is corrupting you Rey. These O.W.L.s will determine your future."

"I understand their importance Hermione." I say looking back down at my potions book. "He is not corrupting me. I have the right to stay out one night." I say and look back up at her. She gives me a scolding look before looking back down at her potions book to study.

* * *

"One more exam, how do you think you did? I think I might have forgotten to add the troll invasion of 1253 for my history of magic essay. Oh I hope that doesn't deduct points from my final score." Hermione went on and on Friday at lunch. Ron and Harry were trying to ignore her and I was doing my best not to.

"I am a billion percent sure you were brilliant Hermione." Ron says. She stops and looks at him.

"Are you sure?" She asks him. Ron nods his head.

"You will probably break the record or something for how many O.W.L.s you pass." Ron says. This calmed Hermione down a bit and brought a slight blush to her cheeks. I look at the two of them curiously for a moment before looking at Harry whose look reflected mine. Was it possible that Hermione fancied Ron? Did Ron fancy her back?

"Thank you for that vote of confidence Ronald," She turns to me. "You must be nervous Rey, Transfiguration is out last test and you need that to become a Healer." Hermione says.

"You want to become a healer?" Ron asks me. I nod my head.

"I think she would be an outstanding Healer." Harry says, I smile.

"Transfiguration is not my strong point though. So yes I am a bit nervous for it." I say. I really hadn't thought about it until this point. Now that I was thinking about it though I was starting to worry. With that worry came a doubt about my other exams as well. "I need to use the loo I will see you guys at the exam." I say and get up and leave quickly. I really didn't need to. I just needed to get away.

Once I had exited the Great Hall I went up to the fifth floor corridor and entered the music room. I walk to the piano at the front of the room and sit down. I look at the keys, the songs that I had memorized coming back to me. It had been since before my second year that I had played. My mother did have me taking classes from the moment I could talk. I lay my fingers gently on the keys in front of me and close my eyes. I do what any proper pianist would do. I did scales. Only one or two, but it was imbibed in me that you must warm up first.

After warming up, which I had found helped calmed my nerves a little. I started to play. It was an old song a very emotional song at that. It was called Life, it had been write by a wizard in the early 1600's name Harolid Bolbot. He had wrote a lot of the pieces that I had loved to play. He was a great artist from his day who was tragically killed by muggles when they found he was a wizard.

The piece did what it was suppose to. It illustrated life. From birth to death, the emotions that a human goes though in those times. This piece he had wrote in his final days, when he was already accused of being a wizard and was waiting for muggles to come and kill him. It was one of the best pieces of wizard musical history. And I was lucky enough to have it memorized. By the time I hit the last cord I had calmed down completely. I had forgotten how much playing had calmed me before. Then again I was eleven and didn't have as much stress as I do now. I almost fall off the bench when I hear someone clapping. I turn my head to the person in question.

"Why don't you ever play?" Draco asks me coming up to the piano from the back of the room.

"It was just something my mother made me do when I was younger. I am an okay piniest, but its not something I would want to pursue." I say. "I guess its just a nice talent to have."

"You do it beautifully." He says. I smile to hide the slight blush that I could start to feel forming.

"Thank you Draco. Have you been listening the whole time?" I ask him. He nods.

"I seen you leave the great hall and you looked upset so I just was making sure you were okay." He says. I smile.

"The great Draco Malfoy concerned about someones welling being and not just his for once? This is a rare honor." I tease. He glares at me playfully.

"If you must know I am always concerned about your well being." He says.

"Because I am your only best friend and I am a girl so when I get upset its a thousand times worse then if a guy is not okay." I say with a smirk.

"Well yes. I hate being the one you are angry at." he says.

"I know you have other friends Draco I just don't understand why you value mine more then theirs." I say and I stand and close the piano.

"Because you are my friend by choice. They are my friends by force." He says. I smiled.

"I was worried about our last exam. Its Transfiguration and I have to get an O in order to become a healer." I state letting him know why I was upset.

"You will be brilliant." Draco says without hesitation.

"I am not particularly good at it." I say.

"You are one of the top students in our class. Behind me." He says with a smirk.

"Great motivational speech there Draco." I say sarcastically. His smirk grows.

"My point is you have nothing to worry about. Don't doubt yourself you are going to be amazing." he says. I smile. A alarm goes off over Umbridge's speaker signaling the end of lunch. I walk up to Draco but instead of hugging him like I normally do I kiss his cheek. I pull away.

"Thank you Draco." I say before leaving him standing there. I try to ignore the tingling feeling from my lips as I walk down to the entrance hall and wait for the doors to open for our final O.W.L. When we enter we all had to sit at a desk assigned to us for the test. I was near the front. Draco was a few rows over and back a little. He gives me a glance and a small smile before looking away. The door closes and the Ministry instructor begins speaking.

"The write portion of your Transfiguration O.W.L. Will be for 90 minutes long then you will be tested based off of your ability. The Exam begins... Now!" He says. I open to the first page and sigh.

About forty minuets into the write portion of the exam there was a loud bang outside the doors of the Great Hall. I look back at the door when there was another Bang. Umbridge, who had been watching everyone like a hawk from the front walks to the doors and opens them. By this point all of the fifth year students were distracted and curious of what was going on. There was nothing there. Then there was another big explosion and Fred and George come zooming into the Great hall on their brooms, they threw Fireworks into the air and they exploded. There were some that were regular and some that were magical one coming at Draco and mocking his scared face. One came down to me but looked like fairy. They it shaped itself into my form and I would move a little and it would follow my movements. Then it floated up and made a crown around my head, without burning me, and then fizzled out. I looked up and George who winked at me before Fred yelled to him.

"Ready George!"

"Ready Fred!" He yells back and they both throw a big firework that turns into a huge dragon and chases Umbridge out of the Great Hall. Fred and George fly out of the Great Hall and All the students follow them out into the court yard. The noise had attracted the other years and there was cheering coming from the students. Well everyone but the Slytherins. The twins threw their last Firework which made a W in the sky before flying off. I felt movement behind me and turn to see that Harry had fell the the ground holding his scar on his forehead. Hermione was next to him before me.

"Harry!" Hermione says worried and I come over and kneel next to him. He looks dazed and far off. When his eyes refocus he looks from Hermione to me to Ron who was now standing next to me.

"He has Sirius." He says worried. He gets up quickly and we run inside.

"Wait. What do you mean he has Sirius?" I ask.

"Voldemort has him We have to get to the Ministry that is where he has him!" Harry says worried.

"Harry Just wait!" Hermione said. "How do we know Voldemort is not just trying to trick you?"

"Because it's just like the night Mr. Weasley was attacked before Christmas." Harry says.

"Maybe we should check with the Order first." Hermione says.

"Yeah Harry, and besides its a Friday afternoon There are loads of Wizards at the Ministry right now. Voldemort wouldn't dare expose himself and Sirius to that many people. We would have heard about it already if he did," I say trying to reason with him.

"Fine okay. We will check with the Order first. But how?" Harry asks.

"What about the Floo network." Ron suggests.

"They are all closed off to the school." Hermione says.

"Not all of them." I say. I had remember Draco mentioning that Umbridge kept the headmasters floo network open for ministry emergencies. They look at me. "The one in Umbridge's office is open. She left it open for emergencies." I explain.

"How do you know?" Harry asks.

"I overheard Parkinson talking very loudly about it." I lied. Hermione gave me a skeptical look knowing the truth.

"Good. We should go now while Umbridge is distracted." Harry said. We all agree and head to her office. We find Ginny and Luna along the way and they agree to help us. "Okay Ginny, Luna, Rey I need you guys to keep watch if Umbridge comes, let us know by your coins." The three of us separate and I take the south hallway. I keep watch no one comes my way. After about twenty minutes I feel my coin burn in my pocket. Someone spotted Umbridge or the Inquisitor squad. I turn round to go help and run right into Blaze Zabini. He raises his eyebrow at me.

"Reyneen Nethers. What are you up to?" He asks curiously. I don't say anything. He smirks. "That's what I thought. Plotting with Potter and his gang huh?" I didn't say anything. He sighs. "Look Reyneen Draco sent me to get you. He wanted to make sure Pansy didn't find you. I wont hurt you. But you need to come with me okay?" He asks. I think back to what Draco had said him and Daphne were the ones on the Inquisitor squad that I could trust besides him.

"I will come with you. But what is going..."

"They have captured your friends." He interrupts me. I nod my head and walk with him quickly back to the headmasters office. When we get to the stairs I give him my wand and he 'tightly' holds my hands behind my back. When the door opens I 'struggle' to make it seem like I was trying to get away.

"She was in the Charms hallway and attacked me when I tried to bring her in." Blaze says. Harry was sitting in the student chair, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny, and Neville were all behind Umbridge's desk. She gives me a crazed smile.

"Good. When I am done with him she will be next." She says. I glare at her as Blaze pulls me over to the others standing me next to Neville and Draco. Next to them was Pansy and Ginny.

"Looks like the boys perfect little whore got caught cheating with this lot." Pansy sneers refuring to me as Cedric's whore. I ignore her.

"Now Mr. Potter. Since Professor Snape inconveniently ran out of veritaserum. The only way I can get information out of you is by means of a curse. I am sure the Cruciatus Curse will break you." Umbridge says.

"No!" I scream. Blaze actually had to hold onto me tighter to prevent me from getting out of his hold.

"That's illegal." Hermione says.

"What Cornelius doesn't know..." Umbridge says before lowering the picture of him on her desk. I really struggle against Blaze.

"Stop." He whispers in my ear. Umbridge raises her wand and opens her mouth to say the curse.

"Tell her Harry!" Hermione yells. Everyone looks at her. "Teller her where Dumbledore hid it." Hermione says.

"What... Where what is?" Umbridge asks with a crazed look in her eye.

"Well if your not going to tell her where it is then I will." I looked at them just as confused as the others. However Umbridge bought it and she took Harry and Hermione out of the office. Hermione mentioned something about the Forbidden Forest as they walked out. Giving her squad direct orders not to let the rest of us go. With the commotion of them leaving Blaze whispers into my ear.

"I am going to let you go, I need you to make it look like you broke free." after the door closed we all stand there for a moment in silence. I count to thirty before I struggle and then bend forward and 'slam' my head into Blaze's face. Her holds his nose as if I had really hit him and I pull away with my wand and hit him with petrificus totalus then I point my wand at the four who had my friends held captive. Four wands are pointed at me.

"It's four ageist one Nethers. You will lose." Draco says playing the act of hating me well.

"On the contrary Malfoy Its very evenly matched. Crab and Goyle are useless at welding magic, Pansy is to worried about breaking a nail, not to mention she is as useful as a squib in a duel," I say and she sneers at me. "So really I only have to take on you. And by the way you are holding Longbottoms hands I can't tell if you are afraid of if you are suddenly in love with him." I state. Draco reacts like he would if anyone else had made that accusation which did not end well for the inquisitor squad. Draco let go of Neville and shot a spell at me which I was able to easily deflect. The spell ended hitting Crab and Luna was set free. She grabbed her wand and joined me in the duel. She sent a hex at Pansy which knocked her out cold as I took on Draco. Ron was able to break free from a dumbstruck Goyle and punched him hard in the face knocking him out as well.

"You guys go I got Malfoy." I say to the others. They grab Harry's and Hermione's wands and go to find our friends. I let up a little on the dueling thinking that it was an act by Draco but he doesn't I look at him confused.

"What is your problem?" I ask him confused. He just keep sending spells at me. I hadn't notice that we were getting close to each other until he had a hold of my wand wrist, our noses were practically touching as our bodies were pressed to each other, and his wand was pointed at my head. We were both breathing heavy. A smirk devilishly at me. His eyes shinning playfully. My heart was beating wildly as I felt a blush coming to my face. My free hand was on his chest.

"I win." He says his voice low and husky. It sent shivers down my spine which I knew he noticed. His face got closer and I knew we were going to kiss. Despite wanting to so bad I knew I couldn't let this happen. If I did I would only be hurt in the end. I do petrificus totalus using my wandless magic and he freezes and falls back. I get down on my hands an knees next to him. I lean down next to his ear.

"I'm sorry Draco." I whisper into his ear I kiss his cheek before getting up and leaving. I remember Hermione mentioning the forbidden forest and thought maybe I could find them there. I got to the forest edge but had no idea where to find them. I pull out my coin in my pocket and send a where are you message. A few moments later it comes back with a response of 'south of Hagrid;s hut in the forest.' I smile and head in that direction. When I finally spot them everyone but Harry and Luna were floating in the air.

"Um... What is going on?" I ask them.

"We are going to be taking Thestrals." Harry says. He motions me over and helps me on to the invisible creature. I feel myself being lifted into the air by the invisible force and I lean forward and close my eyes in a screech wrapping my arms around what I assumed up was the creatures neck. "Hold on tight." Harry says. He helps Luna on hers and then gets on one herself. We all take off and I keep my eyes shut for as long as I can as we fly to London.


	16. Chapter 15

****Ouick Note** okay everyone sorry its been so long. I have had kind of writters block but at the same time not. I know where i want to go with this just not sure how to get there... well with this chapter. I am sure I know how i want to work out year six. It's going to start to take a turn from the main story to my own story with the main plot still in there... You will see when i get it published. Something that helps me write more is Reviews. I am not sure why I think its more of a motivation thing. Even if you don't review I am still going to write though don't think you HAVE to in order for me to post more. I really find that annoying about other Authors that do that. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter! Though it was difficult to write.**

Chapter 15:

It was dark. Of course it was it was night time in the ministry of magic. My question was for one of the most important places in the wizarding community why was it so under guarded. Seriously, we just walked right in. Harry did not have a problem recalling where to go so it took us just a little time to locate where we needed to go. We walked into the Hall of Prophecy which was much more dark then the other hallways. Harry breaks out in a fast walk. I almost had to run to keep up.

"What if he is not here? What if it's a trap?" Neville asks. I look over to him.

"Then we fight." Ron says. We hurry and walk through the prophecies and Harry pulls ahead of us. He stops and we catch up to him.

"He was suppose to be right here." Harry says. I exchange a look with Ginny and Neville, all of us knowing it was a trap. We all raise out wands a little.

"Harry..." Hermione says from the corner of a row. "Harry this has your name on it." She says looking back at him. Harry walks over to it and everyone's eyes follow him. He examines the name tag before picking up the orb.

"What do you think it says?" Luna asks and I shrug.

"I suppose his name." I say.

"If a prophecies made then only the person it's made about can hear it." Luna says. We watch Harry before we hear something beside us. We all turn to point our wands in the direction of the noise to see a death eater approaching us slowly. The hair on the back of my neck starts to stand and I start to feel a small rush of what I am assuming is adrenaline. Then the Death Eater removes his mask to reveal Lucius Malfoy. A pure rush of anger enters me, Draco knew. He had to of know. His dad was a death eater. Which meant he had death eaters at his house every day. Yet he didn't tell me. Of course everyone knew Lucius Malfoy was a death eater. What I meant was he could have warned me of the trap.

"Harry Potter, we meet again." Malfoy senior says to Harry. We all stay quiet. "I see that you have the prophecy. The one that was made about you. I bet you are curious as to what it means. _He_ can tell you what it means." He tried to persuade. "He could tell you what everything means." there was a cackle that made my skin crawl.

"Come now Lucius lets not play." A shrill voice says. A crazed woman stepped out from behind him. "Oi why if it isn't Itty. Bitty. Baby. Potter. YOU FITHLY HALF BLOOD!" She screamed. It was Belatrix Lastrange. I tighten my hold on my wand. I could feel the fear start to bubble inside me. I had never felt this before but I couldn't let it show. If I did that would open me up for exposure to them.

"Now Now Bella." He says to his sister-in-law. "Harry is very curious about what this prophecy means." He says all the while getting closer to the group. I see something out of the corner of my eye. It was another death eater they were surrounding us. I turn to my left as the others start to realize and start to face the advancing death eaters.

"All he wants is the orb boy. Give it to us and all your questions will be answer. Why your scar hurts, what that prophecy means, why he chose you. You would like to know it all wouldn't you boy?" He tries to convince again.

"Don't do it Harry." Neville says from over his shoulder.

"Aww if it isn't little Neville Longbottom. How's mummy and daddy." Belatrix mocks. Neville snaps.

"better now that they will be avenged." He says and starts to go for her. She cackles loudly as I spin around and hold out my arm to stop him. The others move there positions to cover us from the other death eaters.

"Neville no its not worth it. Not here." I say to him. Belatrix laugh stops abruptly as I look at her. She looks at me like she had seen a ghost for the first time.

"No, your dead..." she says to me. "I KILLED YOU!" She says outraged. Lucius grabs her arm to prevent her from attacking. He could tell this was going down hill quickly thanks to his sister-in-laws presence.

"Harry all you have to do is give us the orb and it will be over." he tried one last time.

"Your right I would like to know what this all means." Harry says. "But I don't need your help in finding it out. NOW!" He screams and we all cast our own spells at the death eaters and they scatter. We all scatter as we try to find the exit. I run with Ginny which we are chased by a couple of Death Eaters. We were able to easily avoid them thanks to Ginny's spells. We run for what seems like forever before we bump into Luna and Neville. Luna has a cut lip and Neville has a cut across his forehead.

We continue to run and try to find the others. Eventually we bump into them as the door slowly starts to emerge at the end of the row. A Death Eater was flying in on us and fast but Ginny was able to easily take care of him. Yet her spell was so powerful it caused a chain reaction. The shelves and the glass orbs were starting to fall and if we didn't move we would shredded into pieces.

We all make it to the door. We are all running so fast that when we stepped though the door we didn't have time to stop. We were all falling down a large black hole we could finally see the bottom that was dimly light. As the ground quickly approached us I tried to think of a spell that would slow us down. Yet it seemed the room was already equipped with it when we all suddenly stopped about a foot off the ground. Then as if the spell was removed we all landed with an oomph. I get up feeling slightly jelly legged as I do and stumble a little and Ron helps me. I smile as a thanks.

"Get ready!" I hear Ginny say as we all point our wands up at where we just fell from. There was a black mass that shot down at us and I ducked and fell a bit out of the way. I felt someone had tried to grab my foot but they were unsuccessful due to my slight clumsiness. I fell away from where we were once standing and I found myself in a ditch surrounding the area. From the ditch I could kind of make out the others. Some I could not see. But the Death Eaters had got them and they were being held captive.

"Harry. If you give me that orb Your friends will not be hurt, they will be able to leave here alive." Lucius says to Harry. I had to figure out how to get back up to him. "Otherwise you can watch them die one by one."

"Harry No!" Ron says and gets a wand twisted into his neck more. I started to climb the rocks to try and crawl back up to them. I get to the top and see Harry give over the orb to Malfoy. I see Malfoy's eyes light up like he had won a prize. I see one of the other Death Eaters start to move its wand from Luna to Harry. I jump up and step in front of Harry and deflect it. Lucius Malfoy stands there with a shocked expression on his face. He must not have realized that I was not held captive. Suddenly there was a bright light from behind Malfoy. My face light up as I seen Sirius Black, Malfoy turns around.

"Get away from my Godson." He says before he punches Malfoy. This distraction allows the rest of the order members, including my parents, to attack the death eaters freeing my friends. Lupin and Tonks appear on either side of me and Harry.

"Thank you for protecting Harry." Sirius says. While Malfoy is recovering form the punch. Tonks takes me with her as we fight against some other Death eater while Lupin, Sirius, and Harry took on Malfoy and a few others. We now outnumbered the Death Eaters and they knew it. They wouldn't go without a fight though. Tonks and I were easily able to take them down. There was a flash of green and before I could react, before I could do anything, the spell hit Sirius square in the chest. As realization hit everyone us no one's cry was as loud as Harry's. That was until his cry turned to rage. Lupin tried to hold him back but couldn't he went after Belatrix. I tried to go after him.

"No we need your help here, Harry will be fine." Tonks says. I didn't want to help with the death eaters, I wanted to cry. My friend lost another person he loved. And I couldn't save him. I wasn't fast enough. But I had to push my feelings aside for now, they did need my help with round up all the Death Eaters. My parents eventually find me.

"Oh its so good to see you are okay." My mother says hugging me tightly to her.

"She's a strong girl, you forget this." My dad says to her. My mom pulled me away.

"What were you thinking?" she scolded.

"She was trying to help her friends." My father defended for me. My mother rolls her eyes and sighs in frustration.

"I was asking her." My mother says to my father. My father winks at me and nods my head to go with my friends. I run over to the others. "Where is Harry?" I ask.

"He didn't come back yet." Neville says. I look at the group.

"Why are we not finding him?" I ask.

"They wont let us." Ginny says. Looking over at the Order members.

"We need to sneak out then." I say. I was the first to sneak out. It wasn't hard the Order members were containing the Death eaters. They were not looking to see if one student went missing. Ron and Hermione followed after me. I ran to the entrance of the ministry to see Dumbledore fighting Voldemort. Harry was behind Dumbledore. Voldemort vanished, and a few moments later Harry starts to scream in pain and wither on the floor. I run forward but am stopped by a barrier. Undoubtedly made by Dumbledore. After a few minuets of Harry withering Voldemort appeared again right in front of him. And although I should be afraid something inside me told me not to. A warmth spread over me making me feel protected.

"Know this Harry Potter. You will lose everything. I will take it from you." Voldemort says to him.

"You can try Tom." that voice was my grandmothers, but I could not see her or place where her voice was coming from. Voldemort looks over at me. His eyes widen in shock.

"No you are dead." He says to me. That was the second time someone has said that to me tonight and I was getting confused. At that moment something had changed in Voldemort that maybe only I had seen. It was gone within milliseconds. The roar of the fireplaces came to life as ministry officials entered. Voldemort looks to the Ministry officials as the look at him in shock. He uses his opportunity to leave.

"Rey oh thank Merlin you are okay." My mother says from behind me and hugs me tightly.

"Did he see you?" My dad asks. I look at him confused.

"Yes why?" I ask. My parents look at each other a bit worried.

"Because you look exactly like your grandmother. If he seen you then he knows that you exist. He will know that you are able to perform the gift." my father says.

"Wait you know about my gift too?" I ask.

"Yes dear, of course we know." My mother says like it was an obvious thing. "Your grandmother told your father of the family gift before she died."

"No ones else can know though. If they did it could put their lives in danger." My father says. I nod my head.

* * *

"You jinxed me!" Draco says in the Astronomy tower a few weeks later.

"Well you wouldn't have let me went with my friends otherwise." I say as I stand at the top of the steps. The next day we were leaving back for home. He was leaning against the railing in a black button up shirt that fit him nicely and showed off his best features. I had to remind myself he didn't like me in any way other then a friend and I should really get over my feelings for him.

"I didn't want you to." He says.

"Because you know it was a trap." I state not pleased with the idea he knew.

"I did not. I am just selfish and wanted to keep you for myself." He says. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. You have been a little over stressed lately." He comments. If it wasn't for the fact that I could tell when he was lying I wouldn't have believed him. He was telling the truth.

"It's mostly been stress about the O.W.L.s and you. You haven't acknowledged my existence since we came back I thought I had did something to hurt you." I say.

"You did." He says but doesn't elaborate.

"Is it because I helped put your father in Azkaban?" I ask him. He sits there and thinks for a moment.

"It is one of the reasons." He says.

"Don't tell me your mad because I out dueled you." I say.

"You cheated." He says.

"I did not cheat." I say.

"Care to have a redo then. This time no wandless magic." He says. "All in good fun of course." He says. I smirk.

"Fine but I will win." I say and draw my wand and he his. "One..."

"Two..." He says but before we say three he throws a spell at me which I easily block. I knew he never waited until three.

"And you say I cheat." I state.

"If this was real life there would not be a count off." He says as he throws another spell at me.

"You forget I have experienced it in real like which was why I was able to defend against you." I say sending my own curse at him. We do this for several minuets and just like in Umbridge office we are drawn closer together the more we dueled. Draco finally catches me off guard with expelliarmus. Using my shock grabs both of my hands and pins them above my head as he pins me against the wall.

Both of us were breathing heavy. Draco's lips were right next to my ear and I could feel a shiver run though me that I am sure he could feel too. This was a new feeling that I had towards Draco that I hadn't really thought into. But with the position we were in, with his body pressing me tightly to the wall. with my hands above my head. and him breathing heavy in my ear, it was hard not to have those feelings start to boil inside me.

"I win." He whispers in a very low and husky voice which made my stomach clench in a way that made me want him. I feel a very light nip, so light that I am really not sure if it happened or if it was my imagination, to my ear lobe. I gasp both in shock and I had found pleasure in it. Draco had heard the gasp and pressed himself closer to me. I felt like this encounter lasted longer then it had but it was not even a minute. Draco kissed my cheek before pulling away and leaving without a word. I was completely and utterly confused and turned on by what had just happened.

That night, and for a good part of the summer to come, I had many dreams about that night. Only instead of Draco leaving he took things further. I was in trouble. Now not only did I have feelings for Draco in a romantic sense I was lusting after him as well. Merlin help me.


	17. Chapter 16

****Quick Note** Yay chapter 16! Again this is where I kind of go off into my own direction with things. It is a ton of explaining in this chapter and I hope I was able to explain it well enough, In my mind it makes sense, but everyone does not thing the same way! If you have any questions or idea's please go ahead and PM me. If you would like to leave a review that would be great as well I love hearing feedback! I would like to thank for reviewing after chapter 15 was posted! Thank you for the review and I am so glad that you are enjoying the story so far!**

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Chapter 16:

The summer cottage that my family had bought when I had went to school last year was cute. It was on a cliff looking out over the ocean and was small, well small in comparison to our mansion. But I loved it just the same and it could easily house a family of five. There was a small village not to far away where we did our shopping. It was a small wizarding community. I didn't see any of my fellow students there though. It was mostly filled with elderly. They were all very sweet though. Tina and Henry had visited often, keeping my parents posted on everything going on in the Order and visiting me and Tharc. Tharc had grown to be a very big cat. Not that she was fat she was very lean, but very tall and her length was outside the norm for a normal cat. I didn't mind though it made me love her more. She still stuck to my side the whole summer.

I had received my O.W.L.s results at the beginning of August. I had received O's in Potion, Herbology, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Muggle Studies, and Transfiguration. I received Exceeding Expectations in Defense against the Dark Arts and History of Magic. My parents were so proud of how well I had done. I had decided that I would keep the classes I needed for my N.E.W.T.s for becoming a Healer. I was going to be taking Potions, Herbology, Charms, Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts, along with taking Muggle Studies on the side. Madam Pomfrey also still wanted to continue my mentoring as well.

"Let us know if anything seems suspicious at school will you?" My father asks.

"You better not be asking our daughter to be a spy for the Order she is not old enough!" My mother says as we stood on platform 9 ¾.

"I am sure nothing will happen at Hogwarts Mum. So it really just makes daddy's request invalid." I say to her and wink at me dad. He smirks.

"I let you spend to much time with her as she grew up." My mother says towards my father and we both laugh. She started laughing as well. The whistle blew signaling the train about to leave. "If you do as your father requests just be careful okay sweetie." My mother adds as I board the train.

"I will I love you guys!" I yell to them.

"Love you!" They chime as I make my way into the train. I find Luna and Neville in a compartment and join them with a smile. We chatted about summer vacations and family. We wondered who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was going to be, and if we were going to have to reinstate the DA or not. I tell them that I was named the Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain and told them how excited I was and how I hoped I did my predecessors justice.

"I think I will go give out a few copies of the Quibbler, would you like to join me?" Luna asks Neville. I notice that Neville blushes a little and I smile at how cute this exchange was. He agrees to go with her. I decide that I would take this alone time to continue reading 'Sense and Sensibility' by Jane Austin. I stand up and reach for my suitcase and pull the book out. As I put my suitcase back I hear my compartment door open and close.

"That was quicker then I thought." I say not looking back. "Did the Quibbler go that quickl...y" I say as I turn around and face who entered. Only I wasn't face to face with Luna and Neville. It was Draco. But Draco didn't look like himself and it startled me to the point that I dropped my book.

"I thought they would never leave." He says. Though there was no tone to his voice. His eyes were Icy blue with small flakes of gray, but they were not my Draco's eyes. They are guarded and they are cold. I look at him with concern.

"Draco... are you okay?" I asked worried.

"Of course I am okay." He snaps at me. I felt kind of hurt. I don't know what was wrong with him. But this Draco did not seem like the guy that I had seen in the astronomy town at the end of last year. I take a seat as I pick up my book from off the seat.

"Would you like a seat?" I ask him gesturing across from me.

"No." He says shortly.

"Okay." I say. It was awkward for a moment. "Why are you here Draco?" I ask him.

"We can no longer associate with one another." He says. I looked at him confused as I tried to process what he says.

"Why can we no longer associate?" I ask him.

"Because I have grown up Rayneen. I should not belittle myself to your level." He says. I felt hurt and confused. This wasn't my Draco.

"Oh Draco what have they done to you?" I ask.

"No one has done anything to me. I just realize that my life was perfect over the summer and you were not a part of it. Thus you are no longer needed in my life." He says. I felt the stabbing pains in my heart and in that moment I realized two things. I was in love with Draco, And he was breaking my heart.

"I... See..." I say trying not to cry. I was at a loss for words. I didn't want to lose him. He was my best friend and I loved him. But I wasn't going to be Pansy. I had to let him go. If he no longer wished to be my friend then I didn't have a choice. "Well if that is all you have to say then you can leave. Someone as imperfect as me will not bother you again." I hardly get out. My throat was so dry and I felt a tear escape. I look down to try and hide it. I did not like crying in front of people, especially someone who had hurt me and knew it. Especially those who wanted power over me. It was a sign of weakness. But this was Draco, I had cried in front of him before and he had been so understanding. Now I was afraid to. I look up and see that he had not gone. But the moment my water filled eyes locked with his cold hard ones something in him broke. His cold eyes filled with concern and remorse. He tried to hold his face steady but even that was starting to fall. Somehow seeing me hurt broke whatever mask he had put on to tell me this. This confused me further.

"Rey..." He says his voice breaking just a little. He sighs and closes his eyes to contain himself and when he opened them they were hard and cold again. "Good Bye." He says before turning abruptly and leaving the compartment.

I refused to cry. I wasn't going to let him do this to me. Okay so I was lying to myself I couldn't make myself stop crying. I had to pull myself together before the others got back. I didn't know how. So with my head held low, my hair covering a good part of my face I left the compartment with my robes. I went to the girls bathroom, and I silently cried. I was blessed that no one needed to use the bathroom during the time that I was crying. Once I was cretin I could make it without crying, I cleaned myself up and changed. Doing my best to make it seem like I had not just cried a river at the loss of my best friend.

When I had gotten back to the compartment Neville and Luna was joined by Dean Thomas and Ginny. I give them a smile like nothing had happened and to the boys they seemed okay with it. But Luna and Ginny were not so easily fooled.

"Hey Luna do you have any more copies of the Quibbler?" Ginny asks. Luna looks to her friend.

"Yes I have loads." She says. Ginny turns to her boyfriend and Neville.

"Do you think that maybe you guys can help Luna distribute them at the front of the train. You guys were only able to get the back." Ginny says.

"That sounds like a lovely idea." Luna says. The boys follow her out and Ginny shuts and locks the compartment door.

"What's going on?" Ginny asks me. Tharc comes up and rubs her head against my chin before curling up in my lap. I tell Ginny what had happened between Draco and I, Including the end of last year to emphasize my point of confusion.

"I am stuck wondering if no longer being friends is really what he wants or if its really something else." I say. She sits back thoughtful for a moment.

"I think maybe you should forget about him." Ginny says. It wasn't what I wanted to hear.

"But..."

"Rey... Look what he did at the end of last year. He was flirting with you. But what use is that going to be other then to get into your pants. He cannot be with you. He is intended to Parkinson. It is almost as if he did care enough to stop it before it got to advanced and her hurt you later. Though I am not sure that was the reasoning."

"So I just try and stop having feelings for him?" I ask.

"You're never going to stop having feelings for him. But you can push them aside. Maybe try dating some. I heard Trevor Konkin really likes you." She says.

"Trevor Konkin? They seventh year Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and prefect?" I ask.

"No Trevor Konkin The seventh year Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain that is Head Boy." Ginny corrects.

"I am not sure... I mean I don't know him." I say. She shrugs.

"If he ever gets the guts up to ask you out you should try it. I mean he is a great catch. I would date him if I wasn't already dating Dean." She says.

"But what about Draco?" I ask.

"What about him? I see it like this he either only wanted to get into you pants, which sounds like him. Or he really does care about you more then he is letting on, but he doesn't care for you enough to go against his family." Ginny says. I sigh a bit disappointed. I knew consulting in any of my friends about this would be one sided. They all hated the guy. But I knew they would attempt to give me sound advice.

The others came back not long after that and we enjoyed talking the rest of the train ride. I put on a happy face that everyone, but Ginny, thought was true.

* * *

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore says from his podium in the great hall after the sorting. I half tune him out as I look around the hall for my friends. They had been worried since Harry was missing. I was trying to locate him but couldn't find him or Luna anywhere. I had hoped that they were okay.

"As for the changes this year. During the summer holidays the Education Board along with the professors came up with a way to unite the school. As everyone is well aware, Voldemort has returned. We feel that the school is to divided in its ways and that Voldemort can use that to his advantage. So starting imminently your dormitories and common rooms have been moved and rearranged. The first through fourth years will share a common area and dorms. Years five through seven if you could just stay a few after the evening feast we will explain your boarding arrangements. You will still be a part of your house and you will still represent them. But while you do you will have the opportunity to become antiquated and makes new friends where lines may be previously blurred by the house barriers. Now I will stop jabbering on. Enjoy!" He says he claps his hands together and the feast appears.

"What do you think he meant by that?" Hanna Abbot asks her group of friends that I was sitting near.

"I am not sure. But I do not like the sound of it." her boyfriend says next to her. They try to figure out what was going on all supper as they ate. I listened in only to keep myself occupied. I had seen Luna and Harry come in a few minutes later. Then noticed Hermione slap Ron upside the head as he was stuffing his face with chicken. I wanted to laugh, but at the same time I still was hurt. Laughing seemed slightly foreign to me right now.

After the feast, the first though fourth years are escorted out of the hall by the fifth and sixth year prefects. All of the years five though seven talk quietly to themselves before Dumbledore stands again.

"This year we have relocated years five though seven. The underclassmen we placed in the old house commons and dormitories. For you we have renovated the Third floor. There are Three portals. The one on the right is fifth years, the one on the left is sixth years and the one directly at the end of the hallway is seventh years. Be cautions of these portals. They will be able to detect who is who, when they go in and when they leave. If there are under a spell or try to trick the portal in any way it will know. This portal has the ability to do away any magical incantation."

"From this portal you will be transported into your own common area. This common area you will share with seven other students of your year. There will be two of each house sharing your commons area. You will each get your own personal dormitories. It is connected to a bathroom that you will share with another student from a different house. You will not be able to gain access to your dorms without a dorm key. They dorm key will be assigned to you once you pass though the portal for the first time. Once you use the dorm key it will disappear and only you will be allowed to use that door. Now your heads of house will help escort you to your rooms. I do apologize for keeping you from a pleasant slumber." Dumbledore concludes. Loud murmurs were heard throughout the crowd but no one got up to move.

"Hufflepuffs!" Professor Sprout says loudly to us. We slowly start to stand as the Ravenclaws were already being lead out next to us. I as I stood up rather quickly, I accidentally bumped into someone or they bumped into me. They turn around and face me and they were about to say something but stop. It was Trevor Konkin.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stood up without looking to see if anyone was coming." I say trying to get him from looking at me in shock. It must have knocked him out of it because he smiled.

"No no. It is my fault I should watch where I am going. Your Reyneen Nethers right?" He asks me as other students pass us. I think it was odd to ask what my name was if what Ginny had said was correct he should know my name.

"Um yeah." I say he smiles at me.

"Maybe we will see each other around." He says. I nod my head. He walks off with his friends. It was slightly and awkward encounter but I don't think on it long. I follow my house up to the third floor. Once there we waited in line for a few minutes. I was hoping it would not be like this every time we wanted to enter or exit. The Third floor door had been removed to be opened to a huge archway. Beyond the archway was a hallway, as Professor Dumbledore had said, there were three portals all were shimmering white and you could not see the other side of them. Above them it was labeled with a shining number five, six, or seven. A few of the students were scared to enter saying that there was nothing on the other side of the portals but death. This was done mostly by Slytherins. I had to question some of their intelligence.

I walked up to it and stopped only a moment, a bit worried about how this would feel. I step thought it and am only feel slightly dizzy when I come though the other side. I look back at the portal to just see the shinny vale before walking though the entrance way. I was in a commons area that reminded me a lot of the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor common rooms. There was a brown couch with chairs surrounding a warm fire place, a table with eight chairs with book shelves going around it. There was a notice board by the entrance and at the far wall there was the entrance to the dorms. I look up only to be shocked at how high the ceiling went. It went up a good four floors. It was fitting since each landing looked out over the common area. The staircase must of, instead of spiraling strait upward, curved around the room. The landings were not directly above one another. They were curved around the walls.

I heard something behind me like a shimmer and pop. It was someone entering from the portal. It was Wayne Hopkins, a fellow Hufflepuff from my year. He looks at me and then looks around the room just as I had done.

"So this is our commons area?" He asks me. I shake my head yes. "Do you know what room you have?" He asks me.

"No I haven't looked yet." I say He ans I both walk over to the notice board as we hear someone else enter.

"Oh thank Merlin." I hear Neville says before I had a chance to search for my key. I smile and face him.

"Glad to see you Neville looks like we will be sharing our common area together this year." He hugs me as someone else comes in. It was Terry Boot from Ravenclaw followed by Padma Patil. We all greet each other and start to talk. The others get their keys. I get mine and it says floor four room two. As I take my key Daphne Greengrass comes in. Everyone is silent. She looks at everyone with a slightly annoyed look. I couldn't help but smile. Daphne was probably the most sensible Slytherin in our year. I was so ecstatic it wasn't Pansy.

"Can I be the first to say thank god its not Parkinson?" Terry Boot says. Daphne and everyone busts up laughing breaking the ice that was between us all. I think I was going to like it this year. The only thing was. We were missing two people. Another Gryffindor girl and a Slytherin guy. Maybe they didn't have enough and we were all the left overs of out house.

"Who else is suppose to be with us?" Daphne asks. We all shrug the keys didn't put a name to them until the person entered the room and there was two left floor four bedroom one and floor two bedroom two. I yawn.

"I think I may wait to find out in..." Just then someone entered the portal. It was Hermione. She looked at the group of us standing around and was shocked for a moment. "Hermione yes!" I say happily and hug her as Neville agrees enthusiastically. However, mine and Neville's enthusiasm was short lived when we heard the portal shimmer one last time. We all see who it is and are silent. He looks at all of us with a blank expression.

"At least he is still not Parkinson." Terry Boot says trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work this time. He still held the blank expression like before. Hermione clears her thought and everyone looks away from him I walk over to Neville as Hermione get's her key.

"So I take it you are across from me." I say as she comes up to us.

"I am second floor room two, are you room one?" She asks me.

"No I am floor four room two, that means..." I feel my heart rate pick up as I realize the only other key left was floor four room one. My eyes travel over to the board as it is picked up by the last person to enter. Now not only was I about to share a common with him, but I had to share a bathroom with Draco too. This was about to becomes the worse year of my life.


	18. Chapter 17

****Quick Note** Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday! Not much to say here just wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 17:

"McGonagall said that you were suppose to be paired up with another female. That's how it was suppose to work." Hermione says coming up to the Hufflepuff table in the great hall. She sits across from me the next morning at breakfast. We were able to sit with our houses for Breakfast and Lunch, if we chose to. But dinner we were suppose to spend with out new common mates.

"Well can't we just change it?" I ask her. She shakes her head no.

"Apparently it is bound by a strong magic that Dumbledore made." She says.

"Shouldn't he be able to undo it then?" I ask her. She squints. This was something Hermione always did when she was thinking hard or analyzing a puzzle.

"Maybe he did this on purpose." Hermione says after a few minutes. I look at her confused.

"You mean he put me next to him on purpose?" I ask her. I was a bit skeptical but wanted to hear her out.

"Yes. I am sure that he knows about the friendship the two of you have made. With Draco being so close to Voldemort maybe he is hoping that you can pick up some information on him." She says. I look at her with my mouth agape and in shock.

"Hermione that is ridiculous. Draco is sixteen. Voldemort doesn't care about what Draco does in school. And besides he and I are not friends anymore." I say looking down at my plate trying to avoid the tears. It was stupid of me to want to cry. Especially over a boy.

"What do you mean?" she asks me. I give her a condensed version of the train ride from the previous day. She looks at me puzzled.

"This is torture Hermione. I don't know what to do. It was awkward enough this morning. We both opened our sides off the bathroom at the same time." I say. It was awkward. Nothing was said between the two of us other then me looking down at the floor saying sorry. I couldn't even look at him. Partly because of what happened on the train. It was also partly because I was trying to hide my blush from seeing him in just his boxers.

"What did you do?" She asks me.

"I let him have the bathroom first. I suppose I will need to wake up earlier if I want to avoid him." I say. She doesn't say anything. She could tell I really did not want to talk about him.

"So what classes do we have together this year?" Hermione asks me. I smile at the change of subject and pull out my list.

* * *

"Why is this class always so early in the morning?" I ask Hermione as I lean against the wall next to the potions classroom. I loved potions don't get me wrong, it just always had to be in the morning.

"Well at least its not Snape that will be teaching us this year." She says.

"Yeah I wonder why Dumbledore finally snapped and let Snape becomes Defense teacher?" I muse out loud.

"Well the job is cursed which means Snape will be gone after this year." Hermione says. The door to the potions class opens to show our new Potions master. His name was Professor Horace Slughorn. I had never met the guy before. The rumor was that he was a previous professor here. Apparently he was here for decades before. He was a bit on the heavy side, short, and balding. He had rose colored cheeks and looked happy to see us. Well the five of us who had showed up early. He would almost fit the perfect description of Santa Clause if he were real.

The room to the dungeon seemed brighter then when Snape was teaching us. It was something that I could get use to. I set myself next to Hermione and pull out my potions book. I sigh. I hadn't realized how tense I was. I guess it finally sunk in that this was the start of my last two years here. They were what was going to make or break my life after I leave here. With that pressure and, well the events from the train ride, I am shocked I had not burst yet. I chatted with Hermione as other students slowly trickled into class. Hermione looks to the door then to me a bit worried. I look at her confused and then look at the door to see Draco walking in with Pansy, Blaise, and Daphne. Daphne smiles at us and waves.

"What are you doing Greengrass? Don't lower your standards." Pansy says.

"I happen to like them Parkinson. If you have a problem with it you can just leave me alone. I don't give a rats ass what you say or think." Daphne says. Hermione and I looked shocked.

"Well fine if you like them so much why don't you sit with them then." Pansy sneers.

"Okay then." She says and walks right over to our table.

"Yeah if Daph goes I go. Sorry Draco looks like you are stuck alone with her." Blaise says and comes and sits next to Hermione. Hermione looks at me a bit uncomfortable.

"How are you two this lovely day?" Daphne asks. I was at a loss for words. This was not normal Slytherin behavior. Of course Hermione was just as guarded as I was.

"Umm well you know..." I start a bit awkwardly. "Wishing classes didn't start for another hour or two." I say.

"Why didn't we sit with them sooner Daph? I like this girl. We already have a topic we both agree on." Blaise says referring to me and making me blush a little. I hear a loud bang from the other table and jump a little not expecting it. We look over to the noise to see Draco looking at us all annoyed. Thought I wasn't sure if it was at us or was looking past us trying to control his anger with Pansy.

"Welcome sixth years to your first N.E.W.T.s course." Professor Slughorn says after the bell rings and he closes the door. Our talking stops as we pay attention to the man. He was the polar opposite of Snape and I was a bit excited to see how he will approach the subject. Before he could get much further though the door opens. Harry and Ron step in. "Harry my boy." He says happily.

"Sorry professor we thought you did not accept out O.W.L.s. We didn't think that we would be able to take this class." Harry says.

"Oh that's quite all right you and your friend just take a book from the cupboard and find a place to set. Now while they do that I would like everyone to come and gather around here." He says standing next to a larger Calderon that has a lid on it. We do as we are told and Blaise acts as a wall between Pansy and us. Now this here is something I expect you to be able to make by next month." He says before lifting the lid. I am hit with a wave of smells. They were very alluring. I smelt a meadow in the summer time just after a rain, freshly washed laundry, and expensive men's cologne. Draco's cologne to be exact. I had to do everything in my power not to look at him. I was doing great except I felt a pare of eyes on me and I couldn't help but look.

My eyes lock with Draco's and I feel my heart completely stop and speed up all at the same time. There was only two reasons why he was looking at me. One he knew. He knew what I could smell because whatever he smelt reminded him of me. Or two he just happened to be looking around to see the reaction of everyone and I just so happened to look at the same time. I look away quickly blushing.

"Can anyone tell me what this potion is?" Slughorn asks. Hermione raises her hand. I knew what it was, I just didn't want to draw any attention to myself if he asked what we smelt. "Yes. Miss. ?"

"Granger." Hermione says giving him her name. "It is Amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world. Its rumored to smell differently to each person based off what attracts them." She answers.

"Very good ten points to Gryffindor." he says. "Miss. Granger could you give an example and tell us what you smell?" Slughorn asks. Hermione hesitates for a moment before stepping a bit closer to get a better smell.

"I can smell freshly mowed grass and new parchment and..." She pauses. I couldn't tell if she was surprised or couldn't pinpoint the last scent. "Umm I smell spearmint toothpaste." She says and hurries and stands next to me with a blush on her face.

"Now Amortentia does not create actual love, that would be impossible. But it does cause powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room." Slughorn says before putting the lid on the cauldron.

"Sir what is in that potion vile next to it?" A Ravenclaw asks the professor. I had not even noticed the small vile until now. His eyes brighten.

"Good eye. Ten points to Ravenclaw. Yes this potion here is called Felix Felicis also know as..."

"Liquid Luck." I say shocked that the professor was aloud to have the potion at school.

"Very go..." He stops mid sentence when he sees me. A look of shock passes his face. "I'm sorry Miss..."

"Nethers." I say.

"I see, I am sorry you just remind me of one of my former students is all." He says as he came out of his mini shock. "Yes where was I oh yes liquid luck." He says. I can feel a few sets of eyes on me. "This potions is desperately tricky to make, and disastrous if you should get it wrong. One sip and you will find that all of your endeavors will succeed. At least until the effects wear off." He says and walks over to his desk with it. "This is what I offer you each today. One tiny vile of liquid luck to the student who in the hour that remains, manages to brew an exceptionable draught of the living death. The recipe can be found on page ten of your book. I should point out though that only one student can manage to brew a sufficient potion to claim this prize. Never the less good luck to you all." He says before dismissing us to start on our potion. I open my book to page ten but before I can see anything on the page I am bumped into hard and my book is knocked out of my hands.

"Watch were you walk trash." Pansy says.

"You there." Slughorn says to us both. "I want none of that in my classroom you understand me." He says I could feel my face heating up."

"She ran into me sir." Pansy says trying to play innocent as I bent down and picked up my book.

"I may be old girl but I am not blind. Twenty points from Slytherin. For rudeness and for lying." He says. Pansy huffs and storms off. Slughorn gives me a small smile. I return it and head to my seat. I was already behind everyone. Hermione had moved over to sit with Harry and Ron giving us more room to work.

This was absolutely one of the hardest potions I had ever tried making in my life. Luckily I was not the only one having problems. I could see the frustration on many peoples faces as they attempted to make the potion. Hermione's hair, which she had learned to start using the sleek potion in her shampoo in the fourth year, was all frizzy again. She was stressing over the potion more then anyone in the room. Everyone was like that except two people. Harry and Draco. Harry seemed to be amazed at how well he was doing. Draco kept a calm demeanor as Pansy nosily complained next to him.

"And it seems like you should be able to have the potion completed... now!" Slughorn said. I was still brewing only because the fact that I started late. Luckily Slughorn did not start with our table. By the time he had reached our table mine was done. He took a feather and placed it in the cauldron. For Blase it floated for about thirty seconds before it started to dissolved slowly. Daphne it was ten seconds and dissolved a little quicker. He stepped up to mine and placed a feather in it.

"Very well done Miss. Nethers a very exceptionable potion you have made there." He says to me. The feather only took about three seconds before it started to dissolve. It took another two seconds to be completely dissolved. I had no clue how I had managed to do that.

"Thank you sir." I say as he goes to Hermione's table. Hermione's was like mine though hers took four seconds and Ron's, well Ron's took a minute. When Slughorn placed Harry's feather into his cauldron the feather evaporated instantly. Slughorn is shocked.

"It is perfect. I dare say one drop would kill us all!" Slughorn says excitedly. This had won Harry the liquid luck which, most of the class was not pleased about. I smiled and clapped for my friend, I had no reason for liquid luck. If anything Harry needed it more. I suppose that he could use it to face off against Voldemort if he needed it. Though I don't think he would use it for that.

"Congratulations Harry." I say as Hermione and I walk up the sitars to the great hall for lunch.

"Oh yes must be so lucky. We all know Saint Potter had to of cheated. No one is as good as potions as I am." Draco sneers behind us and I freeze for a second not realizing that Draco was behind us. The four of us stop and turn to look at him. Pansy was hanging onto him like normal with Daphne and Blase behind them.

"Shove it Malfoy. This is just another thing Harry is better at then you. Though its not hard to be better then you." Ron says.

"Ron that's enough. Just let Draco vent his jealousy." I say to him a bit on the rude side as I look slightly over my shoulder at him. But I did not turn away from the group of Slytherins. I didn't mean to let it slip but I didn't want either of them fighting and Ron was just going to aggravate Draco more.

"Why are you defending him?" Ron accuses. I roll my eyes and face him.

"I'm not. But you, and sometimes Harry, have a tendency to aggravate him further on Purpose. I am not sure if it has to do with you wanting to start a fight or if you are just that idiotic." I say and walk past him.

"She has a point." I hear Hermione say. I could hear Blase laughing in the background.

"God I love that girl she is awesome!" He says. I then hear a grunt but do not turn around to see. Instead of going to lunch I went up to our new commons. Luckily no one was in there.

"You really need to control yourself." Hermione says following me in.

"I snapped." I say to her a bit panicked. "I didn't mean to but seriously your boyfriend is a pain in the ass sometimes."

"Ron is not my boyfriend." She says defending herself.

"You and I both know you did not smell spearmint toothpaste in that cauldron." I say and she blushes.

"I don't think anyone else noticed Rey."

"Well only the observant one did." Daphne says coming though the portal. Our heads snap to her. "Luckily I am the only other person that is observant. Blase probably thought that you were just being witty. Pansy is so absorbed into hating you she probably thought you were trying to insult her. And Draco, well I am sure that he thought it was a reaction because you still care for him as a friend. Well you care about him a bit more then that but he is not able to see that." She says. I feel my face heat up about a thousand degrees.

"I don't like Draco for more..." I try to deny to her. She holds up her hand.

"Don't try and hide it. Though you are very good at it. It took me until today to figure that out. Draco, though he thinks he is great at hiding his feelings for you is not as good as he lets on. I have known since the beginning of last year that he cares for you." She says.

"Your wrong. He doesn't have any feelings for me. Yesterday he..."

"Said he no longer wished to associate with you?" she asks. How did she know all this? She had to be wrong Draco could not care for me as more then a friend. I doubt he even cared for me as a friend now. "I heard you two talking about it this morning. No one else did because no one else cares." she adds.

"And you care?" Hermione asks skeptically.

"Yes I do. Draco is a very dear friend to me. I know him sometimes better then Blase. But no one knows him as much as Ray does. No he keeps a part of himself only for you." She says to me. "I know he cares for you more then he lets on."

"It doesn't matter he doesn't want to talk to me. I say.

"Give it time Rey. He will come around." she say. I nod my head. The three of us decide it would be best to get our next class books before heading down to lunch. I walk up the four flights of stairs and look at the two doors in front of me. The one on the left that use to have the number one on it now held the Slytherin crest with Draco's name under it. The one on the right now held the Hufflepuff crest with my name written below it.

I enter my bedroom to my immediate left was the door to the bathroom. In front of me, on the far wall, was my four post bed with the traditional yellow curtains. The bed, instead of being a twin, was now a queen size bed and a very comfortable bed at that. The bed spread had the house crest on it and was yellow on the outer side and the inner side was gray. My walls were still sort of bare considering I had not actually decorated yet. There was my own personal desk to the right of the entrance and across from my bed. On the other side of my bed there was a tall dresser that I had magically filled last night with my cloths. Right next to the dresser was two double doors that lead to a personal balcony. I still had not been out to it yet. There were tall curtains that covered it. A set of thin white ones that you could kind of see out of. Then there was a set of thick ones that were respectfully yellow that I could close if I wanted it dark in my room. There were also smaller windows on either side of my bed. Tharc was laying on the middle of my bed still clearly trying to recover from the train ride here.

The bathroom was very lavish. It had a large stand up shower in it. It also had a large bathtub that could easily fit five people in it. When I enter to my right is a counter with a sink and opposite of it is a duplicate. Draco and I had our own personal sinks and mirrors. The toilet was on Draco's side of the bathroom while I had a cupboard on my side. It was filled with everything we needed. It was stocked with towels, washcloths, our personal preference of soaps, shampoos, and conditioner.

I go to my desk that has all my text books on them. I pull my potions book out of my bag and set it on my desk. Slughorn had given us a potions essay that was due Wednesday. I had three classes a day, except for Friday which I had four classes. Monday and Wednesday I had double Potions in the morning. Then Charms and Muggle Studies after lunch. Tuesdays and Thursday I had double Herbology in the morning. in the afternoon I had Deference Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. On Fridays I had Charms and Deference Against the Dark Arts in the morning. Then Muggle Studies and Transfiguration in the afternoon. I grab my books for my afternoon class and head down to lunch.


	19. Chapter 18

*****Quick Note*** I have two apologies 1: I am so sorry this took so long to get out, 2: I am so sorry this chapter is so short! It is a filler chapter and I have the hardest time writing them. I hope you enjoy it regardless. I do have a request from my readers. If you are reading this and you like Twilight (Jacob+OC) stories I am currently (when I get writers block for this story) writing a story. I have a few chapters wrote and it is in a style I am not use to. I was wondering if any of you would like to start reading it. I would not be updating it quickly, but if you would like me to start posting it please Private Message me that you would like to read it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please remember to review!**

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Chapter 18:

The first month had seemed to fly by. I had puled together a great Quidditch team. Practices, to their dismay, were ran according to how Cedric had set them. Last years captain did not implement it and we had lost badly. I felt if it worked before why would it not work now. That was the only social gatherings I did. I ate at meals, but I did not talk much with others. I went to the library with Hermione on Sundays but I found that I spent less and less time there. I studied most of the time in my room as of late. Hermione was growing concerned I could tell by the way she looked at me. But I did not want to talk about it. I did not want to talk about a lot of things.

When I was not distracted by my school work or working on Quidditch strategies I thought about Draco. Something I did not want to think about. Though it was hard to ignore. Especially since I shared a bathroom with him. I noticed that I was watching him unintentionally. I had noticed that he had become more pale and he had dark circle under his eyes. I had still been going to the Astronomy tower on Saturday nights to see if Draco would come. He did not.

Today was a nice day. I decided that instead of staying inside I would study in the Transfiguration Courtyard. Other students were also out as well. I was working on my Charms homework when someone came up to me. I look up to see Trevor Konkin.

"Good afternoon Rey." He says to me. I smile at him politely.

"Good afternoon Trevor." I reply.

"So Hogsmeade trip is coming up this Saturday." He starts. "I was um... wondering if you would like to accompany me. On a date that is." He says a bit more nervous.

"Oh." I say a bit shocked. "Well, I think that would be nice." I say. I did not want to be rude and deny him but I did not want to go with him. Then again, I wasn't giving him a chance if I didn't go with him. My answer lit up his face like he had won the Quidditch cup.

"That's great I will see you then." he says before walking off. I pick up my things suddenly not wanting to be in the courtyard. I start to head back to my dorm.

"You know this is genius." Daphne says walking in step with me from out of no where. She has been great. Everything a Slytherin should be not what was expected of them. Though I was not following her now.

"Excuse me?" I ask her. She smirks.

"Dating Konkin to make Draco jealous of course." she says. Considering Draco was the furthest thing from my mind until she mentioned him I was shocked.

"I am not going on a date with him to make Draco jealous." I say honestly. She looks me over for a moment.

"Then why do it?" She asks.

"Well he asked, no other guy asked. Why not give him a chance?" I ask.

"Because you are in love with..." I cover my hand over her mouth to muffle her.

"Are you trying to announce it to all of Hogwarts?" I ask not removing my hand from her mouth. She removes it revealing a very annoying smirk.

"I knew you were in love with that particular person. Can't believe it was that easy to trick it out of you." She says. I look at her a bit annoyed.

"Starting to question why I am giving this friendship a chance." I say.

"Not really!" She says in a sing song voice. We both start to laugh as we walk to our dorm together. We decide to study together in there until Hermione walks in.

"Is it true you have a date with Konkin this weekend?" Hermione asks coming up to us.

"Well news certainly does travel fast at Hogwarts doesn't it?" Daphne asks amused.

"You cannot be seriously going." Hermione says a bit upset.

"Yeah... he asked me earlier. I said yes." I state.

"You need to break it off an now." She says. I look at her confused.

"Why?" Daphne asks. Hermione leaned closer and lowered her voice.

"Because he is not a good guy." She says. Daphne and I share a look. Daphne did not seem convinced at all. Especially since Hermione referred to him as not a good guy. What was he then? I could read all that from Daphne's facile expression.

"Hermione he is head boy and he..."

"He is a cheat. He is pig headed and he only thinks of himself. I heard he also abused his last girlfriend." She says.

"Hermione, what has gotten into you? You have never been this in tune with gossip." I say factually. Hermione was never this way. She cared about books more then rumors.

"Yes well I had to do a bit of research first to make sure one of my best friends wasn't going to get hurt." She admits.

"Hermione if she lived her life in fear that someone was going to hurt her then she wouldn't live at all. None of us would." Daphne says.

"Besides I am not even sure I like him yet its just a date." I say.

"Just promise that you will keep a guard up?"

"I promise." I say.

* * *

"Have I told you my family supplies all things for the international Quidditch leagues?" Trevor asks me as we sit across from each other at Madam Puddifoot's. I absolutely one hundred and fifty percent hated it in here. It smelt strongly of old ladies perfume and the tea was way over sweetened. The couples who were in here though, beside Trevor and I, were all making out. I was not about to do that with Trevor. Hermione was right in the sense that this guy was completely into his self and his family. This was also about the twentieth time he had mentioned his families industry. Also he has mentioned several times how he was a part of the elite twenty eight families of pure bloods like myself.

"You may have mentioned it once or twice." I say. He continued on again about how he and his family were worth more Galleons then half of the elites. But also how humble he was that he could not compare to my families fountain. I was really praying for some sort of escape at this point. He was more boring then Professor Binns History of Magic lessons. That was when Daphne and Blase entered holding each others hands. I looked at them suspicious for a second before they headed my way.

"Well, well, well Trevor Konkin. I see you are trying to save your family from becoming broke by trying to get with the Nethers." Blase says. Trevor turns to the new arrivals his face going slightly red.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Zabini." Trevor says a little tense. I look at him suspiciously.

"Really? Because I read in the Daily Profit earlier today your father is looking to bankrupt the company. This way your father has enough money to live off of the rest of his life. Your name is literally going down the drain along with your reputation. Wasn't it just a few years ago your father and older brother was caught with a muggle woman at the same time? And were you not seen coming out of the same hotel room as them only a few hours later?" Blase says. Now Trevor's face was reader then the bright red teapot on our table. Generally Blase was a quite guy. Always in the background watching waiting for his time to strike. And man when he struck it was in a way that paralyzed someone.

"I can explain." He says more to me then them. At this point I did not know what to think. I really did not want to hear his explanation but he started to give it to me anyways. "Blase is lying. My family is more famous and wealthy then ever." He says.

"I can show her the papers if you like." Blase says nonchalant.

"I..."

"I think I have heard enough." I say and stand. This was the escape I was hoping for. I could care less what he did in his past or what he was worth. He was just so boring.

"No... Rey... Are you seriously going to believe a Slytherin over me?" He asks his anger flaring and he stands. I raise an eye brow in question at him. Not giving him time to answer my look I walk past him and out the door. "Rey get back here! You will stay here and listen to me!" I hear Trevor yell. His anger growing towards me for not listening to him. I am sure the whole shop was watching now. I go to turn to give Trevor a piece of my mind when a spell flies past my head and I hear a thud. I turn quickly to see Trevor in the ground wand in hand. Several yards behind him Draco with his wand out pointed at him. I lock eyes with Draco who had a mixture of emotions that I could not translate. Daphne and Blase stopped in surprise at the door watching the two of us.

"Um... Thank you..." I say quietly and turn away from him. I knew Trevor had tried to hex me, and I knew Draco had saved me. I felt my heart tug at this and I tried not to cry. Why would Draco do this?

"Don't expect it again Nethers." Draco says. He was trying so hard to sound rude. But It didn't come across that way. It sounded almost apologetic. But I didn't expect him to be sorry. I turn again just enough to look back at him.

"I wasn't expecting it in the first place." I say before walking away. I heard someone following me and was not surprised when Daphne fell in step with me. We were silent for about half way though the walk back to Hogwarts.

"Rey..." Daphne says when no one else was around.

"Daph I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to even think about it. I feel like I would be so confused if I was to think about it." I say.

"You did look miserable with Trevor." She says after a few moments. Deciding to stay on the topic of the date and not what happened after.

"Oh Merlin he was horrific. He was so boring!" I say and we both start to laugh. I tell her of the whole date up to the point where they came in. Daphne verified that Blase story was true. There was apparently some major controversy going on in his families company. Because of it they were going bankrupt. Though I felt slightly used I wasn't to upset at the thought of losing him as a potential boyfriend. We spent the rest of the day together hanging around Hogwarts. Not once did she mention Draco, and for once I did not think about him.


	20. Chapter 19

*****Quick Note*** I am so proud of myself got another Chapter done within 24 hours! (It was done this morning I just did not have time to post it before work!) So this chapter is Draco Heavy... I hope you enjoy it! Remember to Review!**

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Chapter 19:

"He has detention again." Daphne says to me as I work on my homework in our common room.

"I'm sorry?" I ask confused as I am brought out from my deep concentration. It was mid December and Tharc was laying on my lap. She was still clingy as ever. However she knew when I needed to focused on my studies and not petting and loving on her. Only then would she either lay on my lap or feet and sleep.

"Draco didn't do his assignments again and has detention." She says annoyed. Daphne had been trying to get Draco to talk and be more himself. He was far from it and she was failing miserably.

"I see." I say. I yawn, not really tired but I did not want to discuss Draco at the moment. I get up, Tharc falling off my lap and meowing disapprovingly at me, and 'stretch'. "Sorry Daph I am exhausted from all this homework." I say. "I am going to head up to bed early." She nods her head buying into my lie. I head up the stairs to my room once in it I close my door and set my books on my desk. I look into my open bathroom door through to Draco's room.

I walk though the bathroom door and stop at his doorway. I had no clue if I would be able to enter or not. I put one foot though and then enter quickly. I wasn't sure what to expect so I flinched just in case I was to get shocked or something. Nothing happened. So this was another glitch. We couldn't enter though the main door, but we could enter each others rooms though the bathroom. His room was like mine except everything was green silver and black. I go to his desk and look for his books. Draco did have a few different classes then I did. But he seemed to need some help with getting his assignments done. I take his books, if he wasn't studying then I am sure he didn't touch these only to bring them to class with him. I head back into my room and sigh. This was going to be a long night.

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"Take your seats everyone." Professor Mcgonagall tells us in Transfiguration's a few days later. "I will be collecting your homework assignments please get them out." She says and starts to walk around. "Mr. Malfoy where is your paper?" She asks him. He went to open his mouth.

"Professor..." I say before Draco say anything. "I found this outside I seen him drop it and I was going to return it to him but you started class." I say handing over Draco's finished homework.

"Oh well thank you Miss. Nethers." She says and collects my homework as well. I don't look back at Draco. It was a bit harder to lie to a teacher then I thought. But I was able to keep a strait face. She would not suspect me doing Draco's homework. Everyone, but the select few that knew, thought we hated each other still. Class goes by as normal and I leave like normal. Near the last one out. It was lunch and I decided that I would take my books back to my dorm first. As I was walking down one of the abandoned hallways I get yanked into a classroom and my mouth is covered. Instinctively I sent a shock of electricity over my body and the person who had a hold of me jumped back in a bit of pain. It wasn't enough to hurt them just to shock them.

"What the Hell Rey!" Draco says to me annoyed a few feet away. I turn to look at him.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to do that." I say. Refraining from reaching out and checking his hands to make sure he was okay.

"I meant what the hell to you doing my homework. I didn't ask for your help." He says. I stop worrying about his hands and look up at him.

"I didn't want you to keep getting in trouble." I state.

"I don't need your help." He says annoyed.

"Then let Daph help." I say.

"Daph? Since when did you guys becomes such buddies?" He asks.

"We have been since the beginning of the year." I say.

"You miss a lot when you close yourself off from the world."

"Like you are any better. You don't talk to people just as much as I don't." He says

"I at least try." I say.

"Just stop okay. It's better if you just leave me alone. No more doing my work." He say.

"Draco please." I say. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was begging but it did come out sounding like that. "I don't know what is going on with you but I still care for you. I don't care if you don't care about me anymore, I don't like seeing you like this. If you are not going to let me talk to you then at least let me do your homework so that you do not get in trouble anymore. Then whatever or whoever you are doing wont keep you from your work and you wont be exhausted trying to keep up." I say. I didn't think up until now that Draco was avoiding me because of someone else. It made me a bit more sadder at the thought of it. I however couldn't let him see how much him liking someone else affected me. He was my friend, he was still my best friend. And no mater how much I had tried over the last few months I still loved him. I hear him sigh in frustration.

"Damn it..." He says before coming over to me and hugging me tightly. I stood there shocked. I wasn't expecting this at all. I hug him back once the shock wore off and though he still had muscle to him he was thinner then normal. We stand there and hold each other for a few minutes before he pulls away. But he doesn't pull all the way back just enough to look at me.

"Draco... I can help you if you like." I offer him. Our close proximity made me a bit nervous but in a good way.

"It is dangerous of you to be close to me Rey. I do still care about you a great deal. That was why I pulled away. I don't want to lose you." He says.

"So you don't want to lose me by losing me?" I ask him. He smirks.

"At least if I did lose you due to my own stupidity you would be safe." He says. I pull away from him.

"This is about Voldemort isn't it?" I ask.

"Don't use his name." He says to me.

"But isn't it?" I ask. He looks down. There was my answer right there. "You're not a Death Eater are you?" I ask him. He looks back up.

"No." He says. I was feeling uneasy and at this point I couldn't really tell if he was lying or telling the truth.

"Will you prove it to me then?" I ask him.

"You don't trust my word?" He asks.

"You have spent the last three and a half months lying to me Draco. Something you promised you wouldn't do. Please just show me." I say. We stand there and look at each other for a moment before he sighs and pulls up his left arm sleeve. Once he gets it up I sigh. There was no dark mark there. "Thank you." I say. "We should get going." Realizing the time and that we probably missed lunch he agrees. I start to open the door only for Draco to come up behind me and put his hand on the door and close it. I spin around to face him. Our face's were centimeters apart, and his hand above my head holding the door made the space between us seem even smaller.

I could feel the blood rushing to my face as my heart leaps and speeds up. I could feel the static between us without even touching and my stomach is doing flips. My eyes lock with his and I almost lean forward and close the distance between us. Only I was scolding myself for getting these feelings for him back so quickly.

"I have a question for you before you leave." He says to me in a low husky voice. I literally felt my legs turn to jello and thank Merlin I was leaning against the door. My mouth was dry.

"And that is?" I ask. I was proud for how calm I sound when my insides felt like goo.

"How did you get my books?" He asks me in that same voice.

"I went into you room though our bathrooms and got them while you were in detention. It seems as though there is another flaw in the structure of our dorm." I state. He smirks.

"So I can come into your room any time I want?" He asks with a smirk. I glare at him but it was playful. He was flirting something that we had not done for a long time. And I was enjoying it.

"Well no, not any time you want, what if I were changing?" I ask him. His smirk grows wider.

"What if you were?" He asks getting even closer to my face. We are so close I just have to lean in a little and we would be kissing.

"Well... Then..." I was at a loss for words and as I start to lean in I hear loud giggle outside as people started to pass by. Draco pulls away and I turn my head my face was probably very red. "We should probably get going." I say not looking back at him.

"Is that what you really want?" He asks me and I look at him. No I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to confess that he wanted me just like I wanted him. I wanted to touch him and I wanted him to hold me. But I could never tell him that. He would never feel the same about me.

"We should." I say before turning back around and opening the door. I check and no one was around so I slip out quickly.

* * *

"How is it that you can heal the sick but you cannot heal yourself?" Madam Pomfrey asks me as I lay in the hospital wing bed. I had gotten then Dragon pox from another student.

"I am not sure Madam Pomfrey but this is the worst." I say before throwing up again. It was a few days before we were to go on holiday. I was of course in the Slug Club and Professor Slughorn had a dinner party that I was not sure I would be attending. One I was still sick and two I had no one to go with.

"It should be out of your system by morning dear just try and relax." She says. I lay back and she leaves for the evening dinner. I close my eyes and hear the door to the hospital wing open. I open my eyes.

"I see you are still in bed." Draco says.

"I see you are missing another meal." I scold him he shrugs it off and comes and sits next to me on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asks.

"Sore my shoulders and back hurt from all the vomiting." I say.

"Please don't spare me any details." He says sarcastically. I smirk.

"Well okay the last time I puked the color was..." My voice was cut off my his hand going over mine. My sense of smell was heightened due to my sickness and I could smell his cologne. It smelt amazing.

"Do you trust me?" He asks me. I nod my head with his hand still over my mouth. He didn't remove it so I bit gently on his skin and my tongue gently grazed over the palm of his hand. He pulled away more in shock then in pain and he looked at his hand then at me. His eyes were the stormy gray that they got whenever he looked at me and I swear they had dilated.

"Don't do that while you are sick." He says in a husky voice. I look at him innocently.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I don't want to get sick." He says.

"I am not so contagious that if I bite you a little you will get it you can always just wash your han..." I was cut off by him kissing me hard. I was shocked by this. At some point and I am not sure when I had started to kiss him back as well. My hands went around his neck to deepen the kiss and he gently bit my lip asking for permission. I complied with a moan. We had ended up laying back on the hospital bed with him over me. The kiss only had stopped when I opened my eyes to reveal that I was in the hospital wing alone.

It had all been a dream. I sigh in frustration and bring the covers over my head. I ignored the wave of dizziness that was trying to over take me again that would lead to my vomiting. Why did it only have to be in a dream that Draco liked me like that. It was like my subconsciousness was trying to kill me with heartbreak.

* * *

"Hey Rey how are you feeling?" Harry comes to our table at dinner a few nights before we leave. Tomorrow was The Slug clubs dinner party and I still was not sure about going.

"I am doing much better thank you." I say.

"So I was wondering since you don't have a date to the dinner party if you would come with me as a friend." He says making his intentions very clear.

"I would definitely not accept it any other way. Sure I would love to go with you Harry met me outside?" I ask and he nods his head before leaving.

"Someone has a date with the chosen one!" Daphne says teasingly.

"Oh please. Harry recently discovered his feelings for a certain Gryffindor girl that just so happens to have six older brothers. Who is currently unavailable to take since she is dating Dean Thomas." I say.

"Wait is it that obvious?" Hermione asks.

"You didn't think you were the only one to notice were you?" I ask her. The guys at our table were no paying any attention to us, well except maybe Draco, but he didn't let on that he was listing.

"Besides I really don't have feelings for Harry in that way. He is definitely not my type." I say.

"Oh and what is your type." Daphne asks smirking knowing that Draco was listening.

"I have a feeling if I told you that you would try and set me up with someone." I say trying to avoid answering.

"Maybe I will." She says.

"I doubt that you are going to get it out of her Daphne. She is like a vault of secrets. She never lets anyone in." Hermione says.

"Well whoever she does let in must be very special to her. In fact she probably wouldn't tell all of that stuff unless she had some feelings for them." I kick her under the table. She knew I told Draco everything, excluding my feelings for him and maybe a few Quidditch strategies. But she was basically indirectly directly telling him I had feelings for him.

"Maybe or she just trusts them with her life." Hermione says being the saving grace that she is. I could hug her right now but I didn't. I am sure my face was red.

"My, my why are you blushing dear Rey?" Daphne says in a teasing tone.

"I'm not..." I lie. "I still just feel a bit off." I say. I stay silent for the rest of the meal as Hermione and Daphne discuss one of their classes that I did not take. I didn't follow along and I didn't look up from my plate. Only after a safe time away from the conversation about my feelings towards Draco did I dismiss myself from the table. I start to walk back to my dorm alone. Only after a few minutes did someone fall in step beside me.

"Daphne should go easy on you you know."

"She is just teasing Draco. No harm done." I say.

"But it's something you didn't want anyone to hear. She went a little bit to far. She should take into consideration your feelings towards whoever it is you like." He says. I look over at him. He didn't have a clue it was about him at all. It was kind of hard to read his eyes since he wasn't looking at me. Maybe he did know and was hiding it to spare my feelings. I look away.

"She Hermione and Ginny are the only ones who know. Ginny and Hermione won't do anything but Daphne, I am not sure about her." I say.

"Will you tell me who it is." He asks me. I look back over to him to see him looking at me. There was anticipation in his eyes, worry, hurt, and a bit of hope. He wanted me to let him know who it was. He was not suspecting it was him at all. Or so I hoped.

"I can't." I say.

"Why?" He asks me. I could lie. I could tell him it was someone else. But then I couldn't.

"Because Draco, I..." I didn't know what to tell him. "I... Don't know okay. It's something I have kept quiet about for some time. I really like him and may be in love with him." I say it wasn't really a lie except I was in love with him not may be.

"But you wont tell me a name." He says.

"Because it's useless. He would never love me back. He could never love me back." I say.

"You act like the love is forbidden."

"Maybe it is." I say. This indirectly telling him stuff was easier then I thought.

"Can I know what house he is in?" He asks.

"No Draco you are not going to get this out of me." I state and he sighs. "Why do you want to know anyways?" I ask.

"Just because..." He says.

"So your not going to tell me because I wont tell you?" I ask. He smirks as we come to our portal.

"Something like that." he says before disappearing though the threshold. I follow him.

"Fine do you still like that girl?" I ask him he looks at me confused. "That girl that you told me about last year do you still like her?" I ask him.

"No." He says looking completely somber. I was momentarily shocked. I thought Draco had really liked the girl. Then again how much could he like her if he was not going to go against his parents wishes. "I am in love with her." He says. And I had thought wrong.

"Tell me who it is and then I will tell you." I say. He shakes his head no.

"I can't. As much as much as I want to know who yours is, I can't. She would never love me back because she is in love with another guy." He says.

"Its not Ginny is it?" I ask shocked. He looked disgusted.

"Merlin no. Why would you think that?" He asks.

"Because she is in love with Harry." I say. "I would say Hermione since she is in love with Ron but I feel that because of her blood status she is out of the question." I say. By this point we had both walked up to our dorms. We both enter our own respectively.

"I am not going to tell you." He says loud enough for me to hear. "I told you before you will find out if she finds out. And you and I both know that could never happen."

"Then we are at a standstill Mr. Malfoy." I say standing in the doorway of our bathroom.

"That we are." He says as he gathers his cloths. "Now if you don't mind I am going to shower and get ready for bed." He says entering the bathroom. "Though you are more then welcome to watch if you like." He says with a smirk. I blush but roll my eyes and turn away from him to hide it.

"Draco you do realize that there has to be some sort of precaution up to prevent us from seeing each other naked." I state and walk over to my desk. I pull out my potions book so I could start on my essay that was due when we got back from break. He leans on my bathroom door frame.

"I am not so sure about that. I mean I have accidentally seen in loads of times when you were getting ready to shower." He says I turn around abruptly and face him only to wish I hadn't. He was only in his pants, which were un-facened and hanging low and he was shirtless. I had to suppress looking him over. I was also trying to be angry and him if he really did look in but I also felt embarrassed. But I was also thinking of all the things I wanted him to do to me in the shower. As well and it was a mix of emotions that just left me confused.

"Please tell me you are lying this is the one time in our friendship that I will permit this be a lie." I state. He walks over to me slowly. He came so close to me that our bodies were nearly touching, I feared if he got any closed he would know what he was doing to me.

"Maybe it is a lie, Maybe it's not. But I think I will let you keep guessing." He whispers low in my ear. I hadn't noticed until he was back in the bathroom with the door shut just how heavy I was breathing. He had a way of getting under my skin. This was one of them. And I still wasn't sure if I was annoyed by it, or if it turned me on.


	21. Chapter 20

*****Quick Note*** So things are playing out a little bit differently then I had planned in this chapter. I hope that you like it! please Review Review Review! I am not sure if you guys like the story or not without them!**

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Chapter 20:

"How have your studies gone Miss. Nethers?" Dumbledore asks me after the holidays. My parents had requested that I stay at the school. Why I was not sure. The letter said everything was okay but it was best that I stayed here. They did not go into detail. I had also received a letter from Tina and Henry both of whom wanted to spend Christmas with me. I sadly had to decline.

"Things are going good. I have been studying hard." I say.

"And are your living arrangements okay? Young Mr. Malfoy has not been rude to you?" he asks.

"No sir he has not." I say.

"You and he are friends are you not?" He asks. I stiffen. How would Dumbledore know of mine and Draco's friendship.

"Professor I think..."

"It would not be wise to lie Reyneen. I did not place you and Mr. Malfoy next to each other by accident." He says.

"You knew he and I were friends?" I ask. He nods his head once.

"There is very little that goes on in this school that I do not know of." He says.

"Why did you place me next to him?" I ask.

"Because Reyneen, Even when all hope seems lost, a true friend can help you see the light." He says. This made no sense what so ever. "I know you have been doing Mr. Malfoy's homework for him as well. As a educator I do not approve of it. But your intentions are to help. I will not mention this to any of your professors. But please be very cautions." He says.

"Professor how much do you know about Draco and I?" I ask.

"I know that you are friends, the extent of yours and his feelings I do not." He says. "But emotions, can have a tendency to cloud our judgment. I feel that you must be weary of your feelings and your actions towards him. Do not let them control who you are. Some day soon I will be gone, and though you do not realize it now Tom Riddle will become more feared by you then he is of me."

"He will fear me the most? Why?" I ask.

"Because you will become the most powerful witch alive." he says. "your gift entitles you with the ability to use and control magic in a way that no one alive but you understands. For a while I thought that Tom's greatest fear was death, but I was wrong. He's greatest fear is the unknown."

"I don't understands." I say not following him at all. He really thought I would be able to be the most powerful witch of my time. That was impossible I was not really that great with the spell casting. Sure I got great grades but that was paper work, actually performing the spells were difficult.

"You told me that when you were a child your grandmother visited you and you could see her." he said. I nod my head. "I believe that she did visit you, but without your power she would not have been visible to you." He says.

"Are you saying I only seen her because I wanted to see her?" I ask.

"Yes. When did you start seeing her?" He asks.

"I think I was maybe four or five sir." I answer him.

"But do you remember her before that?" He asks. I think hard. It's hard to remember being so young.

"I remember her visiting but I didn't see her. I mean I may have but I couldn't. It doesn't really make sense." I say.

"But doesn't it?" He asks me. I look at him confused. "When you are very young the people that are around you are very real, so are the undead that are around you. As you grow you begin to understand the differences and the undead become more unclear. I believe that as you grew older you had unintentionally created a image of your grandma that only you could see. You used your magic as a source of life to the undead. It doesn't bring them back, but it makes it look like they are, if just for a moment." He says. This was a lot to absorb.

"Can others do that?" I ask fearing I already knew the answer.

"No." He says. "This is why I believe you to be even more powerful then I am. Even if you haven't come to your full potential yet."

"What if I don't want this?" I ask him. I did not want to be known as the most powerful witch of my time. I did not want to be able to project the dead, I did not want any of it. I wanted to be normal.

"You have a choice Reyneen. You are the only person in the world who has a choice at this moment. You can either use your powers for good or evil, or you cannot. You do not have to show all of your power to anyone. That will be entirely up to you." Dumbledore says. "Now I have kept you from your slumbers far to long, off to bed." He says. I nod and bid him good night.

* * *

"What did the old fool want to talk to you about now? Asking you to join his cause?" Draco sneers when I enter my room. He was in the bathroom finishing brushing his teeth. I knew he wasn't mad at me he just didn't like anyone who opposed his fathers views which seemed like Draco's views as of late.

"He did not actually." I say and walk over to my bed and sit. Draco comes and leans on the door frame of the bathroom.

"Then what did he want?" He asks.

"He knew about us being friends Draco. He put us next to each other on purpose." I admit to him.

"Why?" He asks in a rather rude but questioning way.

"I am not sure to be honest. He said I could help you. But I don't even know what he meant by that. I could have did your homework without you knowing even if I didn't have access to your books." I say. Draco comes and sits on the bed next to me.

"Well I may despise him, but I am glad he did put us next to each other." Draco says I smile and lean my head on his shoulder. We stayed like that and talked for what seemed like hours. Eventually we had both laid back with our feet hanging off the bed and Draco let me lay my head on his arm. This felt right. Just laying there and talking with one another. Eventually the talking stopped and we just laid like that in a comfortable silence.

"Rey..." Draco says quietly after some time.

"Hm?" I reply and he sighs.

"I want to tell you something. But you have to promise on your life you will not tell." He says. I lean up on my elbow and look back at him. He looks at me and there was the most amount of fear I had ever seen in my life.

"I promise. No matter what it is I will not tell." I say. He sits up and I sit up with him.

"It's bad Rey. You may not ever want to talk to me again." He says.

"Draco you should know me by know I wouldn't leave you." I say.

"Yes Rey I do know you. You are the kindest, smartest, most annoying, stubborn, and level-headed person I know. But I am not sure if you can live with yourself knowing this." He says.

"Lucky for you I take being annoying as a compliment" I say with a smile and he gives me a small smile as well. We fall into silence again and he looks conflicted. "Draco please. Just tell me." I finally say. He looks me in the eyes for a few moments and then sighs.

"I am not a Death Eater, But I was given a task by the Dark Lord." He says, My heart stops in a very bad way. "I have to come up with a way to get his followers into Hogwarts before the end of this year." He says looking away from me."I also..." He says but he stops it was something else. Something worse. I take his hand in mine hoping it was showing me supporting him though this.

"It's okay Draco please tell me." I ask.

"I also have to kill Dumbledore." He says. I feel my face drain of any color and my stomach do a disgusted flip.

"Draco... please tell me... your not really..." He looks at me. There were actual tears in his eyes.

"I have to Rey. If I don't then Both my mother and myself will die." He says. My heart breaks. He really didn't want to do this. His life was on the line. "He said if I succeed in both tasks he has given me then I will becomes one of his followers."

"You don't want that do you?" I ask him.

"Of course I don't." He says a bit angry. "But I have no choice." Everything in regards to Draco made sense now and I felt worried and sad for him at the same time.

"Draco we can find a way out of this. We can go to Dumbledore, we can go to the Order and save your mother. We can get you guys out of here and away from danger. At least until Voldemort is dead."

"No you can not!" He says angrily. "He has followers from around the world, they will track us down. You don't think I haven't already thought of that?" Draco asks. He had lost hope. I did the only thing I could do to try and comfort him. I hugged him tightly. Draco didn't respond right away. But when he did he hugged me. And for the first time I really say and felt Draco cry. I let him cry on my shoulder until it was all out.

"The necklace that Katie Bell had, that was to try and kills Dumbledore wasn't it?" I ask. He nods his head. "What else?"

"I had sold a poison bottle of mead to Slughorn and suggested giving it as a give to Dumbledore. Not sure what has happened to it." He says.

"Did Professor Slughorn know it was you?" I asks. He shakes his head no. I sit there with my head down and think. It was hard to take in that Draco was given such a task. I absentmindedly drawing lines on Draco's palms while I try to absorb the information.

"Rey, please don't tell anyone." He pleads. I look up at him.

"I promised I wouldn't." I say.

"You still wont?" He asks me.

"No I wont. But Draco I am not happy with the decision that you have made."

"I didn't make it I was forced." He says.

"No one is forced to. You just have to figure out what you believe in. Then you fight for it. At the end of the day it doesn't matter if your side wins or loses or if your even still alive. As long as you did what you felt is right that is all that matters." I say carefully. It was hard giving advice to someone who supported Voldemort. I had to keep it as unbiased as possible. Even if I wanted to say that my way was the right way. Draco may view things differently. To him Voldemort's way may be the right way. Even if it wasn't to me. Draco looks at me for a very long time it was a hard thoughtful stair and after a little while it became uncomfortable. "What?" I ask.

"You are absolutely amazing did you know that?" He asks. I wasn't expecting that and I felt my face grow hot.

"Oh, well I wouldn't say that... I am just normal." I say.

"No you really are amazing Rey. I wasn't suppose to tell anyone. The Dark Lord did not want it to get to Dumbledore. And I tell one of his biggest supporters and you will stay quiet for me. Why?" He asks. I love you. That's why. But I could not say it out loud. Dumbledore said he knew almost everything that went on in this castle. I would suspect he already knew what Draco was up to anyways.

"You are more important to me then some war." I decide to say. I didn't want for Draco to look into it any further so I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek just touching the corner of his mouth with my lips. How I wished he would have turned just slightly to make it a kiss. "Good night Draco." I say. I get up and go to my dresser to get my pajamas. He sits there for a moment before getting up and heading to his room closing his side of the bathroom door.

* * *

"So Ron's a free agent again." I say wiggling my eyebrows at Hermione. She glares at me.

"Yes I know I was there. Ron however does not seem to remember any of it." Hermione says a bit annoyed.

"It sucks that you wont be able to do your apparition classes until the fall Rey." Daphne says changing subjects. I shrug. Everyone, well except a hand full of us, in our sixth year was taking the Apparition class. It was for anyone whose birthdays fell from March first to August Thirty first who would be turning seventeen in that time. I had to wait for the next class which wouldn't be conducted until September. They had to do the class for eleven weeks and then the twelfth week they would be tested and if they passed would be licensed to do so, if not they would have to take the class again in the fall. They were already in their tenth week of the class.

When they were away at class I was studying in my Dorm. I wasn't to upset that I wouldn't be taking the class until fall. I really didn't know if I would be good enough to get my license. It was a nice Spring day out so I decided that when I got back to my room I would open up my balcony door.

"So how are things between you and him?" Daphne asks after eating a little of her lunch not mentioning names.

"We are friends." I say. Nothing between me and Draco had changed much. Except we seemed to touch more. We would lay in each others arms while we talked sometimes. Other times we would sit very close to each other and hold hands, we hugged a lot more, and I seemed to kiss him on the cheek more often then I probably should. He didn't seem to mind though. He seemed to start eating more again and looked a little less stressed. He was still very stressed and looked worn out but he wasn't as bad as before.

"Did you hear Katie was back?" Hermione asks me sensing I did not want to talk about Draco. I look around the great hall. Sure enough she was with her group of friends. She had a small smile on her face but she seemed very reserved. I watched as Harry walked up to her and they talked. She looked past Harry and her lips stopped moving. Harry turned to look and I follow where they were looking. They were looking at Draco. Draco's face was pale and he turned and abruptly left the great hall quickly. Harry went after Draco. Something in the pit of my stomach told me to follow them.

"Rey don't" Hermione says. I get up anyways and leave. I had no clue where to find them at so I hurried along the first floor corridor looking for them. I heard or seen nothing. I tired the second floor next. I herd some murmuring, almost like chanting coming from the boys lavatory. The door was partly open I looked in to see Professor Snape over Draco's very pale and motionless body. and I felt the world stop. I rush into the bathroom. Not caring if it was improper or not and race to the opposite side of Draco. He seemed to be unconscious but still breathing very slowly.

"I need you to heal him Reyneen." Professor Snape says. "I can get his blood back into his body but I can not heal him." He says. Tears were running down my face and I was shaking uncontrollably. The bathroom started to shake. "I need you to pull yourself together girl. If you don't he could die." Snape says in a harsh voice. I take a couple of deep breaths to clam myself and start to heal Draco. He had so many gashes and they were so deep. Healing was already not an easy task. It took a great deal of energy. I had used every ounce of energy I could muster before passing out. The last thought I remember before passing out was I hoped I had saved him.


	22. Chapter 21

****Quick Note** I am so sorry guys! Please don't hate me. A lot has happened since the last time I posted. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter since this brings us to the end of year 6! Please review I love seeing those and I will try and get more chapters out as soon as possible.**

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Chapter 21:

It was dark. Everything felt numb. I wasn't sure where I was or what was going on. I almost felt like I was drowning. I close my eyes tightly and open them. I have to squint my eyes at how bright it suddenly is. I blink several times to try and focus. Once they are focused I realize I am laying on the ground in the gardens at my mansion. I slowly get up and look around. Everything looked so vibrant and in bloom. I was so confused. I couldn't quite remember what happened. A young child's laughter caught my attention. Then a voice.

"Jeremy you get back here at once!" A young women's voice says playfully. A little boy, no older then four, comes bursting though the bushes giggling. He had jet black hair and sea green eyes. It was the younger version of.

"Dad?" I whisper but he doesn't pay any attention to me. The little boy runs and hides behind a stone statue.

"Come out come out where ever you are!" The ladies voice says playfully she comes though the bushes as well. I am completely shocked. This women could be my twin. Only her clothing hair style, and sea green eyes were the difference. She was also a tad bit taller then myself. She looks at me and for a moment I think she can see me. She however walks past me and finds the little boy.

"There is my Jerrie Bear!" She says and scoops him up and hugs him tightly. He giggles and kisses the ladies cheek.

"I love you mummy." The little boy says.

"And I love you too Jerrie Bear." She coos at him. He wiggles to try and get down. "Now I want you to make me a promise okay?" She asks him he nods his head once. "I want you to go strait back to the house. Mummy has some business to attend to out here." She say. He nods his head. With her back turn to me she sets down the small boy and he runs off. She turns around and faces me.

"Hello Reyneen." She says to me with a warm kind voice. I am shocked.

"You can see me?" I ask. She nods her head with a smile. Then reality hit me. "Am I dead." I ask suddenly worrying. She laughs a beautiful laugh.

"No you are simply travailing in time. Happened the first time I drained myself of energy too. Ended up in the seventeen hundreds with great grandmother Romeillia." She says and sits down. She pats the bench next to her and I sit.

"How do you know my name, I am born after..." She holds up her hand to silence me.

"You cannot tell me what is in the future. But I do know that if you are Travailing something major is happening in your life." She says. "I don not wish to know it I am simply here to help try and guide your powers. The first time you visited me was a little over five years ago. That is how I know your name." She says.

"You mean I will visit you again, or I have before. This is all confusing." She laughs.

"Don't over think it. You will only wake up with a headache." She says.

"So wait. If I am travailing what are the people thinking in my time?" I ask. She smiles.

"Your spirit can travel though time Reyneen, your body is firmly placed where you have left it in your time. And I can seen you because I chose to see you. We can sense the presence of others spirits and we can project them as we please.

"Can you project them for others to see?" I ask her.

"I don't think that it would be impossible. I am sure Death would not like you meddling to much though."

"Have you ever seen death?" I ask her. She shakes her head no.

"I do however have a message for you from your future self." She says.

"I thought we are not suppose to say anything about the future." I say. She smiles.

"This is an exception. The fate of the world depends on it." She says. I allow her to continue. "You are now what sixteen I presume, in your sixth year?" She asks. I nod my head again. "All your future self told me was, Death will come and you must allow him in. If you do not he will take your soul." She says.

"I think my future self has spent way to much time with Dumbledore." I say and my grandmother laughs.

"You are strong Reyneen. You are stronger then I ever could be and powerful. You just need to believe in yourself. That is the key." She says.

"If that is the key then why are you not able to master the wandless magic?" I ask her. She sighs.

"In a few years you will understand. I know there is a war in your time, I am not sure of what or who is in it, but you will come across another case of mine. It will be full of my diaries and it will explain everything to you."

"Have you ever traveled to see me?" I ask. She frowns.

"No. We cannot travel to the future. Only the past holds the answer to our questions." She says.

"How do I get back?" I ask.

"You simply will go." She says.

"Do I visit more then twice?" I ask.

"I am not sure." You may come in the future but I do not know." She says. I nod my head. There was a snap it sounded like someone was approaching. My grandmother stands. A smile spreads across her face.

"Tom!" She says and rushes over to the man. "It is so great to see you!" She says happily. The man approached us. He was young like my grandmother and tall and slim. He had very black hair and green eyes with flakes of red in them. "I wasn't expecting you back for a month!" She says. The man unnaturally thin lips smiled.

"It is good to see you again." He says. She walks up to the man and hugs him.

"You have been gone for at least six years. What have you been doing?" She asks.

"I have been..." but the man was cut off.

"Mummy mummy!" my father... or the younger version of my father says running up to them. My grandmother picks the boy up. "Lookie lookie!" he says happily and holds up a piece of paper. It forms into a duck and starts to quack and fly around and my dad giggles.

"I am so sorry Tom, this is my son Jeremy. Jeremy this nice man right here is my best friend Tom." She says to my dad. But the man name Tom did not look so nice once he seen the little boy.

"It's nice to meet you!" My dad says cheerfully.

"I see you and Andrew didn't waist any time." Tom sneered. Everything started to get blurry and muffled.

"Tom... He is my husband... I..." I heard my grandmother say before everything went black again.

* * *

"I think she's waking up." I hear someone says.

"Hermione we went over this the last time she passed out. She bloody well probably cannot breath with you three inches from her." I hear another voice I recognize.

"Why do I always wake up to you two bickering like a old married couple?" I mumble not even sure if they could hear me. I hear laughter and I slowly crack my eyes open. I seen Ginny and Harry laughing as Hermione and Rob both blush and glare at me.

"We do not, we just... disagree." Hermione says from my right.

"Is that what we are calling it now?" I ask and I feel my right hand get squeezed very tightly. I refrain from voicing the pain.

"You really have to stop passing out!" Hermione says trying to change subject.

"What did you expect me to do? Let someone die?" I ask. They all grow quiet.

"Why did you heal him?" Harry asks.

"Because Snape couldn't if I didn't then..."

"He was performing the counter curse Rey. The Counter Curse does just that it mends the person. He didn't need you to heal Draco." Harry says.

"So what are you saying?" I ask Harry.

"I think he was ordered by Voldemort to spy on you along with a few other things." He was giving me a headache and I was only half awake. He wasn't fully telling me what he thought I knew that much.

"Why would Voldemort want anything to do with me?" I ask.

"Because of your gift." Harry says.

"Gift? What gift?" Hermione asks just as confused as Ron and Ginny. I sigh and slowly sit up. Harry didn't have a right to tell them.

"Well I have to tell them now don't I Harry?" I ask him a little peeved.

"It would be better that they knew." He says.

"Knew what?" Ginny asks. I look between the four of them before sighing. I lower my voice.

"I have the ability to perform wandless magic." I say.

"That's impossible only a very powerful witch or wizard has the ability to do that." Hermione says.

"Even then they haven't masted it. No one has." I say.

"But you." Harry says to me. I shake my head no.

"I am close but... I just... I don't know it's like something in me is holding back."

"Prove it." Ron says Ginny glares at her brother.

"She just woke up from being passed out from using this what makes you think she can do it now you ninny." Ginny says.

"I have the ability to heal. For example." I take a quill off the stand beside my bed and quickly slice it over the nearest hand to me which just so happened to be Ron's hand.

"Bloody hell woman have you gone mental?" He asks holding his hand close to his heart. I hold out the palm of my hand.

"Let me see your hand." I say he shakes his head no.

"Seriously Ronald just give her your hand." Hermione says annoyed. Ron complies and gives me his hand. Because the cut was not deep I was able to heal it with no scars. Ron holds his hand up amazed.

"That is bloody amazing." He says mesmerized.

"Who all knows about this?" Hermione asks.

"You four, Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore, I guess now Snape, and..." I stop only Ginny and Hermione knew about mine and Draco's friendship and my feelings towards him.

"And who?" Ron asks.

"Malfoy." Harry says. I look over at Harry. I knew Harry was a bit smart but I didn't think he would get it. "He is your friend isn't he?"

"And why would you assume I would want to be friends with a nosy, low life, blood traitor Potter?" Draco says from across the room cutting though our conversation. He said it with such venom that if I didn't know any better I would think he meant it. Harry ignores him looking at me for an answer.

"I would never be friends with a self centered, pig headed, egotistical, whinny, obnoxious ferret." I reply back. Harry and Ron couldn't know. They would never understand. This seemed to please Harry since it sent Draco into a 'fit'. Honestly he was really losing touch it wasn't even that bad of a fit.

Once the others leave and I hear their voices fade I turn to Draco. He is looking at me with an impassive look. For a moment I thought that maybe he was really mad at me for what I had called him.

"You had me worried." He says finally. I sigh in relaxing knowing he wasn't upset with me.

"Me? You were almost dead." I say.

"Potter was right, Snape was doing the counter curse. He didn't need your help." he says.

"Is that suppose to be a thank you?" I ask him. He rolls his eyes.

"Just don't ever do that again." He says.

"What save you?" I ask getting a little peeved.

"No almost dying to save me."

"You can't stop me. I will do it again if I need to." I say. He would be almost dying so he wouldn't really have a say in it.

"I'm not worth it." He says low, almost so I couldn't hear him. Any sort of peeved feeling I had went away. I didn't understand why he would feel that way.

"You are to me." I say after a moment.

"Why?" He asks me. I get up and slowly, and unsteadily walk over to him and sit next to him on the bed.

"Because Draco, even though you are a self centered, pig headed, egotistical, whinny, obnoxious ferret. You my self centered, pig headed, egotistical, whinny, obnoxious ferret. And I am your nosy, low life, blood traitor. Despite how you act around everyone else, to me your different. For some reason you chose me as the only person you are your real self around. I couldn't live with myself if I stood by and watched you die. Your to important to me." I say. I wanted to tell him more. So much more. But I knew he could never feel the same way for me. I feel Draco wrap his arms around me and he hugs me. I smile and hug him back.

"Thank you." He says quietly.

* * *

A week had passed and mine and Draco's strength was slowly rebuilding. Tharc had nearly scratched a hole in the hospital wing door trying to get in to see me and Draco. Every time she would get kicked out there would be a lot of meowing coming from the corridor. Professor Dumbledore finally said it was okay for her to come in.

"Just think Tharc its our last night here." I say petting her behind the ear. She purrs and rolls in my lap contently. Draco and I had been talking and he was sitting next to me.

"Are you thirsty?" he asks me. I nod my head yes and he gets up to get me some pumpkin juice as I play with Tharc on my lap. He brings it over to me and I take a drink of it slowly. He looks at me sad.

"Why are you so sad?" I ask him curiously. He sighs. I start to feel lightheaded. Warning signals inside me start to go off and I start to panic a little. What did he do?

"Please don't hate me." He says. I could feel the darkness taking me quicker then I could think.

"Wha did yo..." I try to get out. Before I even fall back I am taken by darkness.

* * *

I sat in the astronomy tower overlooking the castle grounds my legs dangling over the side. I couldn't go to the funeral. I felt partly responsible for his death. I knew this was going to happen and I didn't warn him. A tear escaped my eye again as the pain ripped though me.

"I'm so sorry..." I say through a sob.

"It wasn't your fault Rey." I hear Harry from behind me. I look back to see Harry. Ron, and Hermione, all equally as sad.

"But it is my fault. I knew Draco had the task to kill Dumbledore and I didn't warn him because I wanted to try and convince Draco on my own. It's my fault he is dead. It is my fault that Draco is now a killer. I couldn't save either of them." I say as more tears run down my face.

"He didn't kill Dumbledore." Harry says. "Malfoy lowered his wand, he lowered his wand because of you. Snape is the one that killed him. It was always going to be Snape. Malfoy had only disarmed Dumbledore." He says. It took a moment for this to sink in. I was confused.

"What do you me he lowered his wand because of me?" I ask.

"You could tell Malfoy really didn't want to harm Dumbledore. You could see it when he first got up here. But reality didn't really hit him until Dumbledore mentioned you. You did save him from becoming a murderer Rey, at least for now." Harry says.

I sit and think about this for a moment. The tears had somewhat stopped and it was like a weight had been lifted if just a little. Then another weight came crashing down on me.

"That means he didn't complete his task." I say. "He was suppose to get the Death Eaters in the castle and kill Dumbledore. If not he was dead."

"He did get them in Rey. We are not really sure though what happened to him after they had left." Hermione says. "And I have a theory." She adds. I look at her confused. "I was confused as to why you did not show up that night when we called everyone. It wasn't until later that we had found you had been given a sleeping potion. Rey I think Draco knew if you were awake that you would come and fight. If you had come and fought then one of them could have captured you. I think he was trying to protect you." She says sitting next to me. I look out over the grounds again thinking. If I was in danger, like she says I was, with the death eaters around. Then I was no longer safe here. No one was.

"I am not coming back next year." I finally say.

"We know." Hermione says.

"I am going to miss you guys so much." I say turning to them fully. I knew I may not get to see them for a very long time. Ron suddenly perked up.

"Come to the wedding this summer." I looked at him confused.

"Who's getting married?" I asked completely confused as to who would get married in a time like this.

"Fleur is marrying Bill." Ron says. I remember Bill a little bit from when I was younger but not much. "You and your parents are invited." Ron says.

"Yeah come that way the girls wont be to outnumbered." Hermione says with a sad smile. I look to Harry who still looked somber.

"I will talk about it with my parents." I say. I didn't want to say I would come and not be able to. I wasn't sure of their plans but I knew they would not want to be out in the public to much.

I get up and hug them all before descending the stairs of the astronomy tower for quite possibly the last time. I walked thought the halls of the school slowly saying a silent goodbye to everything. I walk to the third floor and take the door to the common area of the shared dorms. I ascend up to my dorm. I look at my door which has my name on it and the neighboring door with Draco's name on it. I enter mine and see it just as I remember it. Tharc was sleeping on the bed and opened her eyes and meowed at me softly.

I look to my left at the bathroom and through to Draco's room which was untouched. I walk through the bathroom and stand in the doorway of Draco's room. Nothing was amiss but one thing. An envelop laying on his bed. I walk over to it curiously and see my name written on it and I pick it up. Draco had left me a letter.


	23. Chapter 22

***Quick note* Thank you for the reviews! I absolutely love seeing what you guys think of the story. This chapter you will get to see Rey's patronus! I will leave a note at the end of the chapter as to why I chose the patronus I did. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Chapter 22:

"We need you here." My father says to me from the Weasley's front yard. I glare at him. "It's not that we do not think you are capable of handling yourself against the Death Eaters Rey. We need you here in case anyone gets hurt. You can't do that from the battle ground."

"But I will be better help there." I say. We were currently debating me going with them to rescue Harry. I had been fighting them all summer on this but no one from the Order seemed to be taking me side.

"You still have the trace on you girl. They will find you if you come back here." Mad-eye says.

"Dad removed the trace off of me so that they couldn't find me." I say and Mad eye gives my dad a look.

"Yes I would break the law to save my daughters life." My father says without a second thought.

"Rey." Lupin says to me in a calm voice. "We need you here to protect the house." I did not fully understand.

"The fight is going to be there not here." I state.

"We need you here in case there is an impostor. If there is then you need to protect everyone. It wont be safe to come back here you need to be the one to let everyone know. That is your duty here. When we come back you are to ask all of us a security question. No matter what." He says. I sigh defeated.

"Fine." I agree. "Just please everyone be careful." I say as the others come out to get ready to leave.

"Don't worry so much dear it will make you old." My mother says. I give her a small glare but I wasn't mad at her. I was worried.

"Take care of my girl while I am out there. Henry says to me. I look from him to Tina. I was confused.

"Wait Tina why are you not going as well?" I ask her.

"I will tell you inside." She says. The two of them kiss before Henry leaves with the others. I look to Tina, Ginny, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley.

"Come in the house dearie. It's going to be a long night." Mrs. Weasley says.

* * *

"You're what!" I say standing up a little while later.

"That is great news!" Tonk's says to Tina gleefully.

"Have your hormones blinded you from the fact we are in a war Tonks." I say knowing that she is pregnant.

"Rey calm down it is fine." Ginny says.

"Fine! Have any of you thought of what would happened if you do not make it though the war?" I ask them.

"We want you to be the godmother Rey. We thought you would be happy for us." Tina says quietly. I sit back down and sigh.

"I am happy for you." I say after calming down. I think I was more in shock then anything. "I guess. Well you guys are bringing a baby into the world," I look at both Tonks and Tina. "What if none of us makes it and they fall into the Death Eaters hands? They would become Death Eaters themselves. Neither of you would want that for them would you?" I ask.

"Rey, we have plans, we were just as worried as you were when we found out." Tonks says to me. I look at the two.

"I'm sorry." I finally say. "It's just big news for what's happening out there."

"We know. Henry wanted to be here to tell you too. He will..." Before she could finish her sentence there was a boom like someone had broke through the barrier. I am the first one up and out the door. I see Hagrid on Sirius bike with Harry.

"Harry!" I hear Ginny behind me half out of shock and relief. I hold out my arm and catch her. As Harry gets out of the passenger seat of the motor car I pull out my wand and march up to him pointing it at his chest. He backs up looking shock.

"When the Death Eaters were attacking the World Cup, who was the first person we ran into in the woods?" I ask him. He looks at me confused.

"What?" He asks. He was either the real Harry and very confused by my actions, or a Death Eater trying to buy time. I take a threatening step towards him.

"I said who was the first person we ran into in the woods at the Quidditch world cup when the Death Eaters were attacking?" I say again with a bit more threat in my voice.

"Draco Malfoy." He finally says. I sigh in relief and lower my wand and hug Harry.

"I'm sorry I just had to make sure." I say before pulling away and Ginny comes running up and hugs him.

"Oh Harry dear you are okay." Mrs. Weasley says coming up to him. I walk over to Hagrid.

"My favorite animal in your class?" I ask him half hardheartedly. I knew it was Hagrid since it was Harry. He gives me a tired smile.

"Beaky." He says.

"Lets get you inside you look exhausted." I say. Before I had time though someone else had showed up.

"Molly, Rey!" I hear Mr. Weasley yell. I see He is carrying George who had his ear covered. My heart drops to my stomach.

"Hagrid take George lay him on the couch." I instruct. Hagrid takes George from Mr. Weasley. I step in front of Mr. Weasley who gives me a small glare.

"Rey let me in to see my son!" He says angry.

"What was my nickname for you when I was little?" I ask him.

"Rey!" he bellows. I stick my wand at his throat. He sighs frustrated. "Mr. Wheezy." He says.

"I will be better help for him then you. Watch for the others. Call for me if you need my help. I will go heal George." I say. I turn to go in the house. I run over to the couch and George hisses in pain as Ginny places a cleansing salve to his wound. I take George's hand in mine and Ginny looks at me before handing over the cloth.

"What did I tell you about setting off fireworks George Weasley?" I ask him and he squeezes my hand as I apply more pressure and he hisses in pain.

"I swear I was aiming for Snape." he says with a small smile.

"Trying to avenge Dumbledore? How noble of you Mr. Weasley. " I say as I finish clean the wound.

"Do I get a reward for trying?" He asks me.

"You get to keep your hearing." I say as I look at what had been damaged. It seemed only his earlobe had been hit and taken off. "Your very lucky it could have been much worse." I place my hand over his lost ear and close the wound. "You are going to need your rest." I say. Just as I say that Fred comes in.

"Georgie are you okay?" He asks. I smile and stand up.

"Thank you." Ginny says. I nod and look around. I sigh in relief when I see my parents and Henry had made it back safe. I walk over to them and hug them all. I see Hermione and Ron with Harry and I run over to them and hug them as well.

"I am glad you guys are safe." I say.

"How's George?" He asks me.

"Making jokes about being holy." I comment. We all laugh to ourselves.

"Mad-eye is dead." My dad announces. I turn to look at him as do the others.

"Mundungus took one look at Voldemort and Disparated." Billy Weasley adds. We all were silent and a sense of loss was felt by everyone. I silently walk back over to Fred and George and check his ear. The others went their separate ways to talk about either Order Business or resting.

"It's okay Fred I want to talk to Rey alone." George says. Fred leaves us as well.

"You really should rest." I say trying to clean the dry blood off of him.

"Have you read it yet?" He asks me. I look at him confused. "The letter you have been keeping in your pocket all summer." He says. I blush.

"I... No I have not." I say.

"Who is it from?" He asks.

"No one." I reply probably to quickly. He gives me a tired mischievous smile.

"My my has our Rey gone and fallen in love?" He asks. I blush and look away from him while I clean the cloth. "It seems as though we will not get to keep our promise after all." He says.

"I don't see why not. If he is not dead then he certainly would not ever be able to be with me." I say. I look back at George. Who is giving me a questioning look.

"Will you tell me who it is?" He asks.

"You wouldn't like it very much." I reply. A look crosses his face and I am not really able to tell what it is. But I am sure he knew.

"I swear on my life I wont tell. Not even Fred." He finally says. I sit here contemplating for a moment. Though George is very much like his brother with making jokes he did have times where he could be sweet and reserved.

"Draco Malfoy." I say in a whisper. George didn't look as surprised as I thought he would.

"He always did seem to go out of his way to make it known of his dislike for me dating you. I am just surprised I didn't see it sooner." He says. I wasn't quite sure what George meant by that. Draco couldn't have liked me. I am sure he just meant Draco was jealous that I spent more time with George and not him. Draco was a bit selfish like that. I tell him about how Draco and I are or were friends. I tell him everything that has happened between us in the past few years.

"Have you told him?" He asked.

"Are you insane? No." I say.

"Told who what?" Fred asks coming in to check on George.

"Nothing." The both of us say and Fred looks at the two of us suspiciously.

"Mum says George should get some rest, so should you Rey." Fred says. I nod my head.

"Okay." I say to him. I look back at George. He gives me a small smile. "If you need me just have someone come and get me." I say. He nods his head.

* * *

It was now a few days before Bill and Fleur's wedding and Mrs. Wesley has hardly given anyone a break. I was assigned to clean the attic with Harry.

"You know we never did get around to you teaching me how to summon a patronus." I say as I clean the window. My mind had just been wandering and I had remembered that.

"Want to take a break and learn how?" He asks me. I smile excited. Then Harry frowns. "Don't you still have the trace on you though?" He asks. I shake my head no.

"The trace is just a charm. Dad figured out how to counter it a removed it for me." He says.

"They couldn't have done that for me?" He asks.

"Everyone knew where you were Harry. I don't think it really made a difference." I say.

He gets up from off the floor and we both pull out our wands.

"Okay. Take a moment and think, and really think. I need you to use the happiest memory that you have for this okay?" I nod my head and closed my eyes. After a few moments I nod my head. The memory I was going to use was when George asked me to be his girlfriend.

"Now before actually conjuring the spell say Expecto Patronum." Harry says. I say it a few times to get familiar with it.

"Okay. Are there any wand movements specified for it?" I ask him he shakes his head no.

"Do whatever makes you feel comfortable." He says. "Do you want to try it?" He asks me I nod my head. "Okay think of your happy memory, let it consume you, then say the spell. "I do as he advises.

"Expecto Patronum!" I say. A shield of white light comes out of my wand I smile excited. The Shield dies down.

"Very good. Took Hermione three times to do that." He says. I try a few more times but the shield just does not seem to get any bigger or stronger. I start to feel like maybe I wouldn't be able to create a full patronus.

"The memory may not be strong enough. Can you think of a time in your life, where you were the most happiest? Try using that memory?" He asks. I closed my eyes and think. After a few minutes I think of something I want to try.

"Okay." I say. I lift up my wand again and let the memory fill me completely. "Expecto Patronum!" I say. There was a strong burst from my wand and I look on in surprise as a Black Mare trots around the attic and comes up to me. I smile in excitement.

"She will stay around as long as you don't loose focus." I hear Harry say. I hold my hand out to her and I feel a warm calming sensation as the mare bows its head for me to pet her. My smiles widens and I look over to Harry as I close the spell.

"That was brilliant." He says. I smile triumphantly.

"Harry, Ray!" I hear Mrs. Weasley yell. My eye widen as she comes in the attic. "What have you two been doing?" She asks looking at the half finished attic.

"Learning how to use the patronus charm." I say a bit afraid of her wrath. She opens her mouth to say something then closes it again.

"Just have the attic cleaned before dinner." She says before turning and leaving. Harry and I look at each other confused.

"I have got this." Harry says. I nod and follow Mrs. Weasley down to the spotless kitchen.

"Is everything all right Mrs. Weasley?" I ask her. She nods her head and tears start to come to her eyes. I walk over and hug her. She cries a bit and explains how she is feeling. She was worried, probably more so then everyone here. Harry and I practicing how to defend ourselves just made it all the more real to her. She was also stressed about the wedding as well. She wanted to give Bill and Fleur a wonderful wedding. She wanted to take theirs and everyone's worries away from the war and let them all just have a good time. I don't think anyone really knew how much stress she was under.

"The wedding will be beautiful." I say to her with a warm smile.

* * *

The wedding was beautiful like I thought it would be. Fleur was radiant in her gown and Mrs. Weasley beamed with pride at the new couple. We were now at the reception. My father danced with my mother and they smiled and laughed. I smiled at the two of them as they enjoyed their selves. I seen Harry comes in and Luna and her father speak with him. He seemed uncomfortable so I walk over to him to save him.

"Good evening Rey." Luna says with her dreamy voice.

"Good evening Luna, are you enjoying yourself?" I ask. She nods her head yes.

"Quite so. That is a beautiful dress you are wearing. Is there a particular reason you chose green?" She asks. If I hadn't known any better I would say she knew something that I didn't even know about my own dress selection. It was a simple forest green dress that went down to my knees. It has a V shaped chest and tied behind my neck. The silk material of the chest was met with a white ribbon at the waist. This was something I had added extra. The skirt of the dress separated in the front to revile a white silk material under it. The green of the skirt had a dusting of sparkles in different swirling patterns.

"Um... No. I just thought it looked nice." I say. I turn to Harry.

"Come father Rey wishes to speak with Harry alone." Luna says. She takes her fathers hand and they leave.

"Care to join me in a dance?" I ask him. Harry shrugs which was his way of saying sure. The music had slowed some as we went to the dance floor. After a few moments of silence I spoke.

"Thank you, for teaching me how to produce my patronus." I say to him.

"What was the memory you used. I look down at my feet.

"It was from when I was a little girl, playing in the willow tree and fields with my best friend." I say looking back up at Harry. If Harry had remembered before the second year, and from the look on his face I'd say he did, Draco was the friend I was referring to.

"You care for him a lot don't you?" He asks.

"As much as you care for Ginny." I state. Harry wasn't dense he knew what I meant by that.

"How could you?" He asks not disgusted but curious.

"I am not sure. Do you know how you fell in love with Ginny?" I ask him. He shakes his head no. "It's just something that happens, it's an attraction that neither of us understand so we cannot explain it."

"I find it repulsive but I understand what you mean." He says. I smile at him and the song ends.

"Thank you for the dance." I say. He nods and goes and sits down. I walk over to the drinks and Mrs. Weasley. We talk for a few minutes and my mom comes and joins us. She was a lot happier then I had seen her in a long time. That was until Kingsley Shacklebolt's patronus came in and took everyone's attention.

"The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead." Shacklebolt's voice says. Worry hits me at those words. If they had fallen then our location would be reveled and...

"They are coming..." His voice whispers. "They are coming..." He says again. Everyone starts to panic. And starts to disparate or find their loved ones. A seconds later a Death Eater comes shooting in and starts a fire as he does so. The Death Eater shoots a spell at me but I was able to block it without my wand. More started to come and I couldn't keep track of who was where. Some how throughout the chaos I was pushed out of the tent. I continue to fight, now with my wand out. I was hoping in the back of my mind that Harry and the others was able to escape.

I noticed Bellatrix Lestrange fighting along side another Death Eater. They were fighting my mom. I tired to get over to them but I couldn't though the chaos. I was shooting spells this way and that, until Bellatrix shot the killing curse and hit my mom square in the chest.

I felt my heart stop at seeing this. My mind ran blank and I could feel a numbness setting in. I watched as my mother fell for what felt like an eternity. A part of me feeling like it was being ripped from my body.

"Mo..." buy my mouth was covered before I could cry out. Before I could even register what was happening I felt like I was being pulled thought a tight tube. I couldn't breath, I couldn't even think. And as quickly as it had happened it was over. I struggle and pull away from the person who had captured me. I swing around and point my wand at them ready to attack. Only to be stun by who is standing in front of me.

"Take me back Draco." I say. He shakes his head no.

"I can't." He says. "There is nothing you can do if you go back." Tears start to come to my eyes but my powers didn't show. I was in control of those. It was in that moment I realized I had more control over my powers then I thought. I sent a curse at Draco, not really sure which one. I was upset, and unfortunately he was the only one around who I could direct my frustration at.

"How could you!" I scream at him sending another curse at him which he deflected. "How can you be on their side! Do you not see what they do to people! How can you be so cowardly!" I kept sending jinxes and curses at him, some with my wand others with my free hand. All he was able to deflect due to my blind rage. I didn't realize in my anger that he had gotten closer and before I could send another curse at him he grabs my arms and pulls me into a hug. This melts away my anger and leaves me crying harder then I ever had.

I felt pain. So much pain that I wasn't even sure what to feel. She couldn't be dead, there was no way. A rational part of me said 'yes she was you seen it with your own eyes.' But I still didn't want to accept it. I didn't hear anyone come up to us. That was until I heard a ladies voice.

"Draco, we need to get her back to the Manor." she says cautiously. I feel Draco's hold on my tighten as his body becomes tense.

"I cannot take her there mother, not like this." He says not looking at her.

"He knows you were able to get her. He requests to see her." She says a hint of distaste in her voice.

"He is not going to see her. Not like this." Draco says. "Not if I have a say in it." his voice was dripping with venom. It was in that moment that I knew who they were talking about. But from the way Draco is reacting I could also tell it was not his intention when he brought me here. If he knew and Draco didn't bring me to him, then he would risk his and his families life. I couldn't let him do that. I knew what I had to do.

"Draco..." I say pulling away. Draco did not let me pull to far away from him. I knew this day would come though. I knew I would have to face Voldemort sooner or later. I had to put my mothers death aside, I would have to morn her later. Now I had to be strong. I had to be ready to fight for my life if I had to. "Take me to see him." I say flatly. Draco looked at me concerned, his eyes changing to pleading. He really did not want me to see Voldemort. I broke free from him and walked over to his mother, the woman I had never met, but I knew who Draco loved very much.

"Good evening Mrs. Malfoy. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." She gives me a sad look. She was tired and stressed, you could tell by just looking at her face.

"Reyneen." She says softly. "Is your mother okay?" She asks. I was confused by this but also felt a small stab at my heart. Why would she care what happened to my mother?

"My mother was just killed by your sister." I say trying to leave all the anger out of my voice but it was there. I see water start to form in her eyes but she blinks and shakes her head.

"I'm so sorry to hear that." She says trying to bring strength to her voice. She holds out her arm and I walk with her next to me as we head to Malfoy manor. At that point I realized where I had landed. We were in the field between our houses. The willow tree Draco and I use to play in, though seems much smaller, was a little far behind where we had landed.

Draco follows behind the two of us to the Manor. It seemed much darker and much bigger then I had imagined. Everything in their garden seemed dead. I was not sure if that was an Oman for what was to come, or if their Gardner had died due to Voldemort. There were two men standing on either side of their back entrance guarding the door. Draco moves closer to me almost pressed to my back as we stop in front of them.

"We will take her from here." One of the men say. I could hear Draco start to say something and I step on his foot. I could here him try to suppress a groan of pain. I walk forward with the men. There are two more men inside. Who lead the way to wherever we were going.

There were many hallways in the manor. I went up and down a few flights of stairs. I wasn't entirely sure why they were taking me this way. It seemed like Draco and Mrs. Malfoy was no longer behind us. We were going down a particularly dark hallway when I stopped in my tracks. At the end of the hallway was Dumbledore. I blink a few times and he smiles warmly at me.

"Keep moving." One of the Death Eaters say. I continue to walk but only a few meters away there he was again. I did not stop this time and Dumbledore joined us steeping in time with me.

"Do not say anything Miss. Nethers. If you believe the fables of your childhood then you know that death will come to you as an old friend." Dumbledore says. "I know that you understand I can feel it. What I need from you now is to allow me, just for some time, to take control of your body. Do you allow it?" He asks. My rational part screamed no. But then I had remembered travailing to my grandmother. The warning she had given me.

"Yes." I say.

"What did you say?" But before I could answer him everything goes black.

* * *

 ****Patronus** So I chose the black mare for her patronus! This is based off of a tumblr post which the black Mare is described as followed:**

 **If this is your patronus then you have express yourself freely and have a true and honest Soul. You do not hide the truth and express your emotions well. Those with the Black Mare are gentle and kind of heart.**

 **Now this does not** **necessarily** **mean that that is what the Black Mare really** **represents** **since I did find a** **similar** **but slightly different** **description** **on .**


	24. Chapter 23

***Quick note* Okay didn't expect to have this chapter out so soon but I have been planning this for a very very long time. It's a little dark, or really dark depending on how you take it. The first parts in really in no one's point of view, at least I tried to make it that way. I hope you guys like it and please remember to leave a Review!**

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Chapter 23:

The Death Eater's were joined in the dinning hall, at least the one's that Voldemort had not instructed to secure the ministry and try and capture Potter. He was delighted in his way that the Nether's girl had been captured. He would show an example of her.

The Malfoy's had joined them, Narcissa finding her husband and Draco following. The normal decor of the home was not usually as dim or as dark. With the presence of Voldemort and Bellatrix Draco noticed his once safe home was now cold and dangerous. No one payed the Malfoy's any attention. To the Death Eater's the Malfoy's were next to as being as filthy as a blood traitor. They only knew their saving grace was Bellatrix. Draco was secretly glad for one thing that came from his families name being smeared into mud. He was glad to find out the the Parkinson's had backed out of the arranged marriage and Pansy was now betrothed to Theodore Nott.

"We were victorious tonight." Voldemort says pleased. "Not only have we taken over the Ministry, but we have also captured a very important person who had fought against us before. Tonight that will end." He says and a few of the followers snicker. They paid no attention the the already pale face of Draco becoming even paler.

Before Voldemort could continue his speech however there was a loud scream. Several more followed suit. Voldemort stood up, alert. The double doors blasted open and a rush of a very cold air blows in the room. In the doorway was Reyneen. Draco knew instantly though that this was not her and his heart stopped.

Her eyes were black, filled to the edge with no irises or pupils. The veins on her face were black and her skin was as white as snow leaving the veins to pop out more. The green of her dress had turned a crimson red and the white had changed to black. Her normal wavey hair was now laying flat and strait on her head. I went down to her waist. Part of Draco feared that she had died and this was the result of her power.

"Hello Tom." The voice that comes from Rey's mouth say, but it was not just her voice, there were other voice's as well mixed with it. She seemed almost demonic. Voldemort glared at being called by his given name. Without hesitation he lifted his wand at the girl.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort says angry. The spell shoots at Rey's body faster then a blink of the eye, but before it can come close to her she holds up her hand and the curse stops in mid air. Everyone in the room is stun by this. And some even cower away from her.

"You never really did like me did you Tom. Is that why you have been trying to avoid me?" Rey says in the multiple voices. She flips her wrist towards the wall away from everyone and the killing curse smashes into a pillar with a vase on it destroying it instantly.

"Who are you?" Voldemort says with venom in his voice. Rey sighs and rolls her dark demonic eyes.

"You would think people would recognize death when you see him. Then again my host is a girl. Quite smart and powerful too. I can just imagine what would happen if she came into her powers. The competition you would have." Death says as she walks down the table. Draco watched in fear. Not of death but for Rey and her life.

"Stop worrying she is not dead. I just have her, resting in peace at the moment." Death says to Draco but addresses it to his mother. He chuckles at his own joke. Death knew all to well that if Voldemort knew the affections between the two teens he would use it against her. So he used Narssisa as a decoy to convey his message. It would make sense she would be worried. She was after all best friends with the girls mother at a young age. Voldemort knew this.

"What do you want?" Voldemort asks bringing the attention back to him. Rey tilted her head at the man.

"Well I am death I want souls to feast upon." Death says. The horror on some of the Death Eaters faces made Death laugh. "Oh look at you all. So worried that I actually eat your souls after death. Of course not." He says.

"What do you want!" Voldemort demanded. This stopped Death's laughter. Death glared at Voldemort and walks up to the man.

"You. Do not. Ever demand anything from me Tom." Death says in the darkest voice anyone in the room has ever heard before in their life. Even Voldemort was shaken though he tried to hide it.

"She's lying." Marcus Flint sets from the end of the table with his family. "She is not really death. It's just and illusion." Death takes one look at him. His eyes grow big in surprise and he starts to choke. Moments later maggots start to come out of his mouth, nose, and ears as he gurgles in pain slowly dyeing. Blood starts to pour from his eyes as his face starts to turn blue. There is a sick and twisted smile on Rey's face for a moment before Draco notices Rey's body jerk.

"Stop!" Rey's voice say and her body jerks some. Her neck rotates a little and Death takes control again. The assault on Flint stops.

"Stupid girl, he needs to be made example of." Death says to no one in particular though everyone the hall knew it was Rey. Rey's body jerks again and her eyes become somewhat visible behind a shade of black.

"You will not kill anyone in my body." She says. Death takes back over with another jerk.

"Fine." Death says. "Who knew it would be so exhausting fighting a mortal girl." He says with a huff. "Anyway back to you Tommy." Death says with a bit of glee. "You are not to harm Reyneen in any sort of way."

"Why? What makes her so special?" Voldemort asks. Death gives Voldemort a blank stare.

"Because I said so. I have known her a very long time Tom, you could almost say she has won me over. Almost like she was able to accomplish what you were not." Death smiled a very sick smile. He starts to walk away from Voldemort.

"So get this through your head now Tom. If anyone, so much as harms her from this point on, in any way. Your entire army will die. Anybody who has your mark will be met with a very agonizing death."

"How do we know what you say is true!" Bellatrix asks. Death turns to the woman with a curled smile.

"Bellatrix Lestrange. Oh how I cannot wait for the day that you die. You will be particularly fun to play with in the afterlife. But if you must know how I plan on proving that to you..." A jerk of the body.

"I said no!" Rey's voice rings clear and Death jerks back into her body.

"Your no fun!" He whines like a toddler. Then he sighs dramatically. "Well if I cannot play then I must be going." Death says.

"The girl stays here." Voldemort says finally. "We will not harm her as you say, but she stays here." Death does not turn to look at him.

"As you wish." He says. Death started to leave Rey, the color of her dress staying the same but the color in her body coming back as her body returned to its normal color. The darkness swirling out of her only to represent death. Once death was fully out of her, Rey's body falls to the floor.

* * *

After death had left my body it was dark for a moment. I always end up in the dark and I am starting to get a little annoyed with it. It made me feel weak. A light slowly starts to appear. I was however not in the Malfoy Manor. I wasn't sure where I was.

"Hello again Reyneen." A voice says from behind me. I turn and see my grandmother.

"Am I dead." She smiles but shakes her head no.

"I am just visiting you. Checking to make sure that you are okay." I think of everything that has happened. "Your mother is fine Rey. She is at peace with what has happened. She knows that you and Jerrie Bear will morn her but she says do not dwell on it to long. She wants the both of you to stay strong. To stay safe."

"If you knew how I was doing why are you here really then?" I ask. She doesn't look at me.

"I need to show you my life. I need to show you why Tom is like he is today. Rey I need you to save him. I couldn't do it in my lifetime. But I know there is some good in him."

"He just tried to kill me I wouldn't really say that he has any good in him." I state. Colors start to swell around us.

"Hello I am Elinor what's your name? _"_ A little girls asks a boy as they sit on the Hogwarts Express. The girl had black hair like mine that were in two brads with green ribbons at the end of them. She looked exactly like I had when I was eleven, except the eyes. The boy in question looked rather board by her and he looked as though he wanted nothing to do with her. Out of common practice though he replied.

"Tom." He answered shortly. The images started to swirl again. "Slytherin!" The hat says and is removed from my young grandmothers head. She gives the boy Tom a smile who was still waiting to be sorted before joining the Slytherin table.

"Aww poor orphan Tom. Doesn't have a mummy to cry to." a bigger guy says and his friends laugh at Tom as another memory swirls in. Tom was glaring at the boys.

"Leave him alone!" my grandmother says. The guys laugh and she glares at them before stunning them with jinxes and curses. Tom looked impressed at this.

Everything started to swirl again as different images appeared. They were of my grandmother and Tom growing up. There was even images of her telling Tom about her wandless magic. There was a time when my grandmother had made Voldemort smile. It was not creepy at all, it made him rather handsome. But then the swirling images stop. One image was in front of me.

"Tom must you go?" Rey's grandmother asks, They looked to just be out of Hogwarts.

"Ellie, I am trying to find a way for us to live forever. Yes I must go. Will you come with me?" He asks.

"I can't, you know I can't."

"Because you have an obligation to your family?" He asks disgusted.

"You really think I want to marry him!" She says her anger starting to flare up as well.

"Well if you are willing to stay for your 'family' then yes I say you do want to marry him." He says.

"Who would I marry then Tom! No one else wants me. This is arranged in the interest of my fathers company, its not in the best interest of my heart." she says.

"Did you ever think that maybe I would want you?" he asks. "Not for your fathers wealth or company. But because I actually care for you." Elinor looked stunned.

"Tom, how long have you..."

"Since the first moment you spoke to me." He interrupts her. "I knew I loved you then. And its broken my heart every day since the day I found out that you were going to marry that man." he says with venom that could match deaths. "So go be with him like I know you want to." Instead of Elinor turning to leave she walks up to Tom and kisses him. The kiss lasts only for a moment before another young man enters.

"Elinor are you rea..." The man is cut off by seeing how closed the two are. The memory fades.

"I went for Tom that night." My grandmother says. "But he was already gone. I didn't have the slightest idea where he had went either. I had no choice but to marry your grandfather at that point. It broke my heart." he voice was sad. "Tom did not return for several years, by that time I had your father. I think Tom seeing this, it broke him. He knew there was no way that I could truly be his anymore and I believe it molded him into who he is today."

"That explains why he doesn't believe in love or the powers it possesses. He was destroyed by it." I say. She nods her head. "He killed you though. Surely in there were any good in him he wouldn't have." I say.

"He didn't kill me though." She says. "Bellatrix did." A memory swirled in and I watch as Tom kills my grandfather.

"How could you?" My grandmother asks with tears in her eyes, struggling against someone.

"How could you marry him?" Tom asks with just as much hate. "How could you sit here and cry for this man that you say you do not love?"

"I'm not crying for him Tom I am crying for you and what this is doing to your soul." She says. This made Tom stop for just a moment. A younger version of Bellatrix could be seen standing aside with a glare at my grandmother. "I never stopped caring for you Tom, I will always chose you over him." She says pleading.

"Your lying." Bellatrix says. But as a someone watching this I could see jealousy radiating off the girl. "You wish to trick the dark lord! How dare you! Avada Kedavra!" Bellatrix screams. Tom turns around just in time to see the light fading from my grandmothers eyes.

"He was going to let you live." I say.

"I am not sure Rey. Bellatrix is still alive today isn't she? That has means that part of him did want me dead. I think he was to far out of my reach at that point. Bellatrix saw the hesitation of her master she took out the reason for that hesitation. But they did not harm your father."

"Why?" I ask.

"I am not sure Rey. Only Tom knows the answer to that." She says.

"What do I have to do?" I ask her.

"Try to help him remember me. The real me, not the twisted version he has made of me to fuel his hate." She says. "It is time for you to return now. You have someone that is very worried about you waiting." before I could ask her how to do that she fades and I fall into the darkness once more.


	25. Chapter 24

*Quick Note* Sorry the delay it was not intended I ended up working 50 hour work weeks for a month followed by being sick for a week followed by being on vacation out of the country for 2 weeks. Its been pretty busy! Not to mention I have had a really hard time trying to get this chapter wrote the way i wanted it to turn out. Please review.

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Chapter 24:

I had been at the Malfoy's house a week now. Marking two weeks before my seventh year was suppose to start. Voldemort had not requested my presence. Odd considering the fact that he wanted to meet me not to long ago. Draco's mother had been very kind to me. Much kinder then I had expected her to be considering the man that she had married. Lucius Malfoy still disliked me, but he seemed more accepting of me. I am almost convinced that the man has seen the light and only dislikes me because It is easier to dislike someone else then one's self.

Draco however has been distant. Though we share the same room, apparently an order given by Voldemort to keep me under watch, he kept his distance. Part of me thanked him for it since I was still grieving the loss of my mother. But part of me hated it because I just wanted someone there to comfort me through this as well. I wanted that someone to be him.

Yet I could leave any time I wanted. Draco wouldn't stop me. He didn't want me here and I am sure his mother and father wouldn't stop me either. No one was really stopping me but myself. There was less Death Eaters around then when I had arrived and I knew that Voldemort had not been around because The Malfoy's were looking less dead. Though still looking rough with Bellatrix around.

But I couldn't bring myself to leave. A part of me, I feel a very selfish part of me, wanted to stay to make sure nothing happened to Draco. It was selfish because I knew there were people out there that was worried about me. If there was just a way that I could contact them they would not have to worry.

I was currently sitting on Draco's balcony looking out over the hills that lead to my home. I sighs sadly I missed it. I missed my home, Tharc, my father, my mother. I sigh trying to stop the fresh tears that came. I know my grandmother said not to grieve I couldn't help it. I tried to muffle a sob, I knew Draco had to be getting annoyed with hearing it by now.

I hear the door to the bedroom open and close. Draco was leaving. I knew he wouldn't be able to take my crying for much longer. I felt oddly rejected by this. Without having to worry about Draco I start to cry again letting the sobs escape me.

* * *

He knew Rey was in pain. It hurt Draco that she was in this much pain. He knew he had to do something for her. So he came up with a plan, quite possibly a suicide mission. But if it made her happier, just for a moment, then he would risk it.

"You want to do what?" His father asks him in exhausted shock.

"I want to retrieve and brings Rey's cat here." Draco says calmly.

"They will kill you at the sight of you." His aunt says.

"I have to at least try." Draco says.

"I will not allow it!" His father says.

"Let him go." His mother says calmly.

"Sissy are you willing..."

"They will not harm him Bella." She says with a bit of authority. Draco kissed his mother's cheek. Before his father or aunt had anything else to say he walked out the front door. He briskly walked to the front gates of the manor and once crossed them he disapperated.

Draco was met with ringing in his ears when he landed just outside the Weasley's property line. In a matter of seconds he was met the the twins who were glaring at him their wands pointed at him.

"Drop your wand!" One of them says. Draco not wanting conflict in his mission complied. He knew the vulnerability he was putting himself in. The twins looked shocked at his movement. They were clearly ready for a stand off. Other red heads came running out of the crooked old house that looked like it would topple over any minute.

After the red heads came a man with black hair with gray peppered in it. Draco remembered him from when he was younger. It was Rey's father. The man stopped in his tracks when he seen the pale boy. Undoubtedly knowing that Draco was the one that took his daughter away the night he lost his wife.

"Lower your wands." Rey's father yells and order.

"Jeremy do you know who that is?" Mrs. Weasley says.

"Yes I do now drop your wands. I will take care of him." Rey's fathers says. Something in Draco's stomach drops at this. Was it possible that he was mistaken by the characteristics of the blood traitors. Were they not suppose to be about kindness and peace. Perhaps they would kill him. Everyone but one of the twins, the one with an ear missing lowered their wand.

"George." Arthur says to his son.

"He took Rey and turn her over to him. Letting them hurt her. Give me a reason I should hurt him." The twin George says.

"Come on Georgie. Her dad will take care of this. Rey wouldn't want you to do this." The other twin says to him and places his hand on his shoulder. Draco still standing cautiously still. If the Twin was to shoot a curse at him he would be ready to dodge. George finally relaxed after a moment. George walks up to Draco. His glare still just as deadly.

"She trusted you. But your no better then your father. Your slimy and selfish and you took her to appease someone you blindly follow. Your pathetic." George says so just Draco could hear. Draco wanted to say something back, but he knew better. Being in enemy territory saying the wrong thing could get him killed.

George turned and left as Jeremy Nethers walks up to Draco. Draco couldn't read the man's face. It was hard to tell his emotion which was a very dangerous thing. Jeremy waited for the Weasley's to enter their house, though Draco was still not sure he should call it that, before he spoke.

"Pick up your wand boy." Jeremy tells Draco. Draco bends down and picks up his wand. Perhaps the man was honerable and couldn't kill a disarmed opponent. When Draco stands up again Jeremy puts his hand on his shoulder. "In the future, no mater who tells you to, do not drop your wand. Do you understand me? That is your protection against your enemy." He asks him. Draco nods uncertain of what to make of this man. Jeremy was after all the enemy, why would he advise not to drop his wand?

Jeremy leads Draco to a stream that runs past the Weasley property. The sun shinned down on them and the heat of the day was blistering on them. Draco was not sure what to say to the man. He was very on edge waiting for the man to strike. He wanted to convince himself the sweat starting to form on his forehead was caused from the heat and not his nerves.

"I would like to thank you Draco. For being the one to take my daughter away from here." Jeremy says. Draco was confused.

"I don't understand sir." Draco says formally after a moment.

"Draco, you were acting on instinct that night. You knew you had to be the one to take Rey. Anyone else and who knows what would have happened to her." His father says. Draco was still confused. Why did this man, who didn't even know him, trust him with his daughter?

"Why me?" He asks.

"When you first took her, and I had lost my wife I was devastated. I thought I had lost both of the women I love in the same night. A few days later I had come across a unopened letter that was addressed to my daughter. It was wrinkled so I knew that my daughter had it for a bit and was keeping hold of it. The curiosity got the better of me and I opened it and read it." Jeremy says as they walk.

Draco realized instantly that it was the letter that he had wrote to Ray at the end of last year before he had let the Death Eaters in. She didn't know anything that he had wrote in that. She had never seen it.

"So you know." Draco says.

"I do, And I know the lengths that you will go through to protect my daughter without hesitation. No one is going to protect her as much as you will Draco. That is why I am now glad it was you and I have faith that you have kept her safe."

"She doesn't love me back." Jeremy laughs a little at this.

"What makes you say that Draco?" He asks the boy curiously.

"Because of what I did, everything bad that has ever happened to her is because of me. She realized this and she seems to move away from me now. It's like she doesn't even want anything to do with me."

"You bullied her when you were younger, but you got past that. Rey seen that and befriended you again." Draco looked at the man again. "Yes I know you bullied my daughter, Cedric was not pleased about it and occasionally tied to get you kicked out for it." Jeremy took a deep breath and sighs. "Other then that you have not caused anything else that was bad."

"But she is afraid of me." Draco says.

"She is grieving Draco, she is not afraid of you. She is probably afraid of hurting you since her emotions are out of control at the moment. That means she can lose control of her powers and she doesn't want you to get hurt so she may subconsciously be avoiding you. I don't think my daughter is afraid of you." There was a pause as Draco thought about what was just said.

"I don't know sir." Draco finally answers.

"How many people are guarding your manor?" Her father asks. Draco knew that this could just be a way for them to try and get information out of him. For him to give information on how to break her out.

"Does it matter?" Draco asks. Draco could see something cross the mans eyes. He was sincerely just asking a question not trying to gain information. "There are no guards. Just my family." Draco decides.

"And wards?" He asks.

"I was able to leave." Draco says. Jeremy nods his head before the corners of his mouth turns up just a little.

"Well Draco I think you have your answer there." Jeremy says. Draco looks at him confused. "Rey isn't staying because she is being held prisoner. She can leave any time she wants. No offense to you and your family but her powers are strong, if she really wanted to leave she would."

"Why would she stay?" Draco asks.

"I think she is trying to keep you safe." Jeremy answers the boy. "She is risking her life for yours, just like you are risking yours for hers. Why would she do the same for you if she did not love you the same way back?" He asks. Like a bucket of ice had been dropped on him at the realization that Rey did love him his heart stopped for just a moment. Then like fire spreading he could feel his veins heating up and his heart pumping fast. For a moment he could see himself with Rey them being happy and together.

"Now I am sure you didn't come here to discuss my daughters feelings for you. I do believe Tharc is who you came for." Jeremy says interrupting Draco's thoughts. A black blur leaped into Draco's arms and rubbed its face against his and meowed happily. "It seems as thought Tharc has missed you as well." Jeremy says with a sad smile. Tharc wiggled in Draco's arm's and moved so that she was wrapped around the back of his neck and purred in his ear.

"Draco's help Rey, I know she hurting. She needs you. Take care of her for me." Jeremy says to Draco.

"I will." Draco says.

* * *

I had fallen asleep crying again. I was laying in the chair on the balcony still. I felt something jump on me and something fuzzy rub against my face. I scrunch up my face and move my head trying to get it to stop tickling me, I wanted to stay asleep. It was easier then being awake and crying. Then there was a loud crying meow.

"Tharc be quiet mummy is trying to sleep" I mumble to the cat. It took me a few moments register what I had said. My eyes fly open and I sit up with Tharc falling into my lap. A serge of happiness runs though me that I had not felt for days.

"Tharc!" I say scooping up the cat and hugging her tightly to me. She struggles in my hold.

"I suppose she didn't miss that." I hear Draco from the doorway a little amused. He is looking at me with a small smile as Tharc adjusts herself on my lap.

"How did you get her?" I ask Draco amazed.

"I went and got her from the Weasley's." He says coming over and kneeling down next to me and petting Tharc. My brows frowned. If he went there they didn't just give him my cat. But he seemed to look okay.

"They could have hurt you." I say, if he didn't appear hurt then he must not be.

"I am pretty sure that George wanted to. Only validates his feelings for you." Draco says a spark of jealousy crosses his eyes.

"I am sure George care's as much for me as he does for Ginny." I state looking down and petting Tharc. "How is my father?" I ask and look back up at Draco.

"He is okay. He is staying strong." Draco says. Before I could say anymore I hear Draco's bedroom door open.

"Rey." I hear Mrs. Malfoy say I pick up Tharc and carry her into the bedroom. Draco follows behind me. Mrs. Malfoy looks grim. "The Dark Lord requests your presence." I place Tharc on Draco's bed. I go to walk over to her when Draco grabs my hand.

"Don't." He says. I half turn and look at him.

"I will be okay. He wont hurt me." I say.

"You don't know that."

"Just trust me. Please." I ask him. He pulled me into him and hugged me. I hugged him back, relieved that he was not keeping his distance now. He was right, I didn't know if Voldemort would hurt me or not. I was scared but I couldn't let it show.

After a few moments I pull away. I walk over to Mrs. Malfoy and she tries to hide the sympathy in her eyes. I step out of the room and wait for her to close her sons door. I push back the nerves I feel and silently follow her to the main level of the house. She opens a set of double doors to show me Voldemort siting in a chair behind a desk. Bellatrix was standing next to him whispering something to him. When the doors open the both looked at me.

I was terrified, but my face did not show it. The scowl on Voldemort's face vanishes and is replaced by the creepiest smile I had ever seen in my life.

"Come in child." He says. Bellatrix, knowing she was dismissed at this point left her masters side and gave me a wicked glare before leaving. I walk in and the doors behind me shut. "Take a seat." He says gesturing to a chair across from him. I do as I am told, keeping my eyes on his face the entire time. I feel a pressure at the entrance of my mind, I mentally fight it.

"What are you wanting from me Tom." I ask him addressing him by his birth name. The creepy smile he had faded to a scowl.

"That is not my name." He says.

"It is your name, no matter how much you try and hide behind the false one you have created. My grandmother knew this and you allowed her to call you by such name. Even on the day of her death." I could see the anger growing on his face at the mention of my grandmother.

"You know nothing of the past child." He says the pressure to get into my mind was increasing. I held strong though. My father had taught me how to keep people out of my head. He was brilliant at it, I wasn't as strong as he was but he made sure I was strong enough.

"I know everything of her life. She showed me." I state. The pressure suddenly stopped.

"How is it possible shes dead."

"Apparently she hasn't fully crossed yet." I say.

"I didn't bring you in here to talk about her." He says and the pressure on my mind returns. I fight it just as hard as I did before.

"Try all you might Tom but your not going to get anything out of me." I say. The pressure vanishes again.

"I see you have been taught well. No matter I am sure an underage child like yourself has nothing of importance for me."

"Then why keep me?" I ask.

"Because you are of great value. Your powerful and I need powerful allies." He says.

"I would never fight for you." I say strongly.

"We will see." He says a bit confidently. "But I didn't bring you in here to try and get you to join my army. No I brought you in here since you lack a parent to tell you what is to transpire in a week. And to also try and probe your mind but apparently your are to stubborn." he says. I was a bit curious as to what he meant.

"The way the pure-blood society does thing is going to... change slightly. As you know pure-blooded families make contracts with each other to keep the lines pure. Well I have come up with a way to make things more interesting." He begins to explain. "Each year there will be a tournament held for the pure blood children ages sixteen and seventeen. The children will be placed in an arena where they will fight for the win. The winner will receive any reward they desire, with the exception of the young ladies, you and they cannot change who they are contracted to." I listen to his explanation for what was to come.

"You, being a pure blood child and of the proper age, will be entered into this tournament." he says peering at me to see my reaction. I did not give him one.

"So we will fight to the death then?" I ask.

"Of course not. Every spell but the killing curse is allowed. Do you really think I am stupid enough to kill the next generation of my army? No this is just a test to see how well the will do once they join me. But I will make it interesting for you girl. If you win, You can go to Hogwarts for your final year." There had to be a catch to this but I wasn't going to try and dig for it. I had no choice but to be in this tournament of his.

"I will need my wand then." I finally say. He laughs like I had just told him the funniest joke in the world. His laugh was just as creepy as his smile.

"No you wont. You are dismissed." He says. I was a bit shocked by this sudden ending of our conversation. I get up slowly. I turn and walk towards the door then stop before opening it. I turn to look at him.

"My grandmother asked me to do an impossible task. She asked me to remind you of her. But I cannot do it." I say. He doesn't say anything as he continues to watch me. "She loved you more then life itself. If Bellatrix would have not killed her, the world would be a different place." I say.

"You think that whore would convince me to be good?" He says amused. I shake my head.

"No, she would have joined you." I say. I turn and open the door and walk out of the office.


End file.
